How to Use the Baker One-to-One Template

Why structured baker one-to-ones matter

Your baker works in one of the most isolated positions in the kitchen. They start before anyone else arrives, work through the early hours alone or with minimal company, and often leave before the main kitchen team is in full swing. Their products — breads, pastries, viennoiserie — are among the first things guests experience, and consistency is everything.

The challenge is that bakers rarely get management attention. The early start means they miss team meetings. The solitary nature of the work means problems go unnoticed. Equipment issues, ingredient inconsistencies, and scheduling pressures build up silently. Without intentional one-to-ones, you'll only hear about problems when product quality drops visibly — or when they hand in their notice.

This template structures your weekly conversations around the areas that matter most for baker performance and retention. Each section builds on the last: preparation gives you context, their agenda shows you what's on their mind, the discussion sections cover role performance, team dynamics, growth, and wellbeing, and the engagement indicators give you an early-warning system for disengagement.

Preparation

Complete these steps before each meeting to ensure a focused and productive conversation. Arriving prepared shows your baker that you take this time seriously.

Review notes from previous one-to-one — Pull up the notes from your last session. What actions did you commit to? What did they commit to? If you promised to chase a flour supplier or look into the oven temperature issue, check whether you followed through. Walking in without knowing what was agreed last time undermines the entire process.

Check recent performance data or feedback — Review production records from the past week: completion rates, any wastage, consistency observations, and feedback from chefs or front of house about product quality. Check for any customer comments about bread or pastry. This takes two minutes and gives you specific talking points instead of vague impressions.

Note any observations from the past week — Think about what you've noticed. Was the sourdough particularly good on Wednesday? Did the croissant lamination look inconsistent on Friday? Were they still working when you arrived for your shift? Write down two or three specific observations before the meeting.

Send agenda prompt to employee ahead of time — Message them the evening before: "We're catching up at 10 tomorrow after the morning rush. How did this morning's bake go? Anything I should know before we sit down?" This gives them time to think. Bakers spend their shifts focused on dough, timing, and temperature; asking them to suddenly reflect requires mental preparation. If they reply "all good," try: "What's the most frustrating product to get right at the moment?"

Customisation tips:

• Schedule mid-morning after the rush — 10am works well, when the main bake is done but before the kitchen gets busy
• 10-15 minutes is enough for a weekly check-in. Don't let it stretch into a 45-minute session unless something significant comes up
• Meet in a quiet corner away from the ovens. The bakery is their workspace — don't make them feel observed
• For the first 90 days, keep these weekly without exception. After that, you can move to fortnightly if they prefer — but ask first

Their Agenda

Start every one-to-one by asking: "What's been on your mind?" Record whatever they raise before covering your own items.

If they say "nothing really," don't fill the silence immediately. Count to five. Silence is uncomfortable and they'll often fill it with something real. If they still don't, offer a specific opener: "Walk me through yesterday's bake. What went well and what didn't?" The specific framing works because "How was your week?" is too vague for someone who's been troubleshooting dough hydration and oven inconsistencies since 4am.

Once they're talking, ask "What else?" until they run out. Don't jump to solutions or share your perspective yet. This section is about understanding their world, not managing it.

If you have items to cover — menu changes, new products, supplier issues — mention them at the start so they know it's coming, then let them go first: "I want to talk about the new bread range before we finish, but first — what's been on your mind since last week?"

What to record: Their exact concerns in their own words. Don't paraphrase into management language — "the prover keeps dropping below 28 degrees" captures reality better than "discussed equipment maintenance."

Role Performance

These four questions are designed to uncover how production actually feels from your baker's position. Work through each one during the conversation and tick it off as you cover it.

"Walk me through your production schedule for tomorrow. What time does each product need to be ready, and does the timing actually work?"

This reveals whether their schedule is realistic or whether they're constantly fighting against time. A baker whose schedule works is calm, methodical, and consistent. A baker whose schedule doesn't work is rushing, cutting corners, and burning out. If products routinely need to be ready before it's physically possible to produce them well, the schedule needs changing — not the baker.

What good answers sound like:

• Walks through the sequence with specific times and products
• Identifies where timing is tight and where there's breathing room
• Honest about which products are squeezed and which have adequate time

What to do with the answer: If the schedule doesn't work, fix it. Adjust production times, stagger products, or bring in additional support during peak periods. Don't ask your baker to produce excellent bread in an impossible timeframe.

"Which product is giving you the most trouble right now? What's inconsistent about it?"

Every baker has a product that's fighting them. Maybe the sourdough crumb structure varies day to day. Maybe the croissant lamination isn't holding. Maybe the focaccia crust is inconsistent. This question surfaces the technical challenge they're wrestling with and gives you an opportunity to support them.

What good answers sound like:

• Names a specific product with a specific inconsistency
• Shows they've tried to diagnose the cause (flour, temperature, timing, technique)
• Demonstrates technical engagement rather than frustration

What to do with the answer: Explore the cause together. If it's an ingredient issue, investigate with the supplier. If it's a technique issue, consider external training or a visit to another bakery. If it's equipment, fix it. Don't leave them struggling alone.

"How's the flour we're using? Any issues with the last few deliveries?"

Flour is the baker's primary ingredient, and batch variation affects everything. A new harvest, a different supplier batch, or a storage issue can change hydration, fermentation, and final product quality. Your baker notices these changes before anyone else does. This question taps that expertise and helps you manage supplier quality.

What good answers sound like:

• Specific about what's changed or stayed consistent
• Shows understanding of how flour variations affect their products
• Suggests adjustments they've made or need to make

What to do with the answer: If there's a genuine flour quality issue, raise it with the supplier. If the baker is constantly adjusting for poor-quality ingredients, either the supplier needs changing or the flour spec needs tightening. Good flour costs more but produces better products with less waste.

"Is the equipment giving you what you need? Prover holding temperature? Oven consistent across the deck?"

Equipment reliability is everything in baking. A prover that fluctuates, an oven with hot spots, or a mixer that vibrates can ruin hours of work. Bakers often work around equipment problems rather than reporting them — partly because they've learned that nothing gets fixed, and partly because they take pride in producing good results despite the limitations.

What good answers sound like:

• Specific about which equipment works well and which doesn't
• Identifies how equipment issues affect product quality
• Honest about workarounds they've developed

What to do with the answer: Fix equipment problems. A baker working around a faulty prover is wasting time and energy every single day. If replacement isn't immediately possible, acknowledge the problem, commit to a timeline, and make sure their workarounds are sustainable.

Record the key points from your discussion, focusing on recurring themes and anything that needs action. Note specific product issues, ingredient concerns, and equipment problems — these are valuable evidence for performance reviews and for making operational improvements.

Team and Relationships

These questions surface the dynamics that affect a baker's work — kitchen relationships, feedback quality, and support networks.

"How's the handover working with the morning kitchen team? Are they respecting your space and your timing?"

The transition between baker and kitchen team is a daily friction point. If the morning team arrives and immediately starts encroaching on bakery space, moving equipment, or disrupting the baker's final production, it creates unnecessary stress. This question reveals whether that handover is smooth or contentious.

What good answers sound like:

• Specific about what works and what doesn't during the handover
• Identifies particular colleagues or habits that cause friction
• Suggests practical improvements rather than just complaining

What to do with the answer: If the handover is causing problems, set clear boundaries. Define when bakery space transitions to kitchen use, establish communication protocols, and make sure the morning team understands the baker's timing constraints. Small changes to the handover can significantly reduce daily friction.

"Do you feel connected to the rest of the kitchen, or does the early start make that difficult?"

Bakers are at high risk of feeling isolated. They arrive before everyone else, work alone or with minimal company, and often leave before the main team has fully assembled. This isolation can lead to disengagement, disconnection from the team, and eventually departure. This question checks whether they feel part of something or separate from it.

What good answers sound like:

• Honest about whether they feel connected or isolated
• Identifies specific things that help or hinder connection
• Shows whether they want more connection or are content with the current level

What to do with the answer: If they feel isolated, create connection points. Invite them to team meetings (adjusting timing if needed), include them in social events, make sure chefs acknowledge their products during service, and ensure management visibility during their shift.

"When front of house or chefs give you feedback on products, is it useful or does it feel like criticism without context?"

Feedback from non-bakers can be clumsy. "The bread was too dense" without understanding why or what conditions produced it isn't useful — it's just criticism. This question reveals whether feedback is constructive or demoralising, and whether the baker feels their expertise is respected.

What good answers sound like:

• Distinguishes between helpful feedback and unhelpful criticism
• Shows how they use constructive feedback to improve
• Identifies who gives good feedback and who doesn't

What to do with the answer: If feedback is consistently unhelpful, coach the people giving it. Teach chefs and front of house how to provide useful product feedback that includes context. Make sure the baker's expertise is respected — they know more about baking than anyone else in the building.

"Who do you go to when you're troubleshooting a technical problem? Is there anyone here or do you figure it out alone?"

Baking is deeply technical, and most kitchens don't have another baking expert on staff. If your baker is troubleshooting lamination problems, fermentation issues, or recipe scaling alone, they're carrying an intellectual burden that other kitchen positions share. This question reveals their support network — or lack of one.

What good answers sound like:

• Honest about whether they have technical support available
• Names external resources they use (books, forums, contacts at other bakeries)
• Identifies what kind of support would help

What to do with the answer: If they're entirely self-reliant on technical problem-solving, invest in external support. Fund visits to other bakeries, arrange conversations with artisan bakers, subscribe to baking publications, or bring in a consultant for specific technical challenges. Nobody should troubleshoot alone indefinitely.

Capture the team dynamics discussed, any handover improvements needed, and concerns about isolation or feedback quality. Note their support network — this matters for retention.

Growth and Development

These questions explore career aspirations and development needs. The answers shape how you invest in this baker's growth.

"Do you see yourself specialising deeper in baking — breads, pastry, viennoiserie — or are you aiming to broaden into pastry chef or head baker roles?"

There's no wrong answer, but the answer changes everything about how you develop them. A baker who wants to specialise in sourdough needs different development than one aiming for head baker. A future pastry chef needs dessert and plating experience. Someone exploring their options still deserves investment.

What good answers sound like:

• Honest about their direction without feeling they need to perform loyalty
• Specific about what interests them technically
• Shows they've thought about it rather than just shrugging

What to do with the answer: If they want to specialise, invest in depth — master classes, visits to specialist bakeries, new techniques. If they want to broaden, give them exposure to pastry, menu development, and ordering. If they want leadership, involve them in scheduling and training decisions.

"What's a technique or product you'd love to master but haven't had time for?"

This surfaces what excites them. Every baker has something they want to perfect — laminated doughs, naturally leavened breads, sugar work, chocolate tempering. The answer tells you what they're passionate about and gives you a concrete development opportunity that connects to their motivation.

What good answers sound like:

• Names a specific technique or product with genuine enthusiasm
• Shows they've thought about what mastery would look like
• Connects the technique to the restaurant's offerings or their career goals

What to do with the answer: Create time and space for them to develop the skill they name. This might mean a dedicated R&D morning each month, funding a course, or bringing in a specialist for a workshop. Investment in craft keeps bakers engaged.

"If you could change one thing about your role here, what would it be?"

This is the open-ended change question. It might surface a scheduling frustration, an equipment wish, a product range opinion, or a management concern. Whatever they answer tells you what's most important to them — and it's often something you can actually fix.

What good answers sound like:

• Names something specific rather than vague
• Shows they've thought about what would improve their work
• Trusts you enough to suggest a change

What to do with the answer: Take it seriously. If the change is feasible, implement it. If it's not, explain why and offer alternatives. Either way, the act of asking and responding shows you value their perspective.

Record their career direction, development interests, and any specific techniques they want to build. This feeds directly into performance review objectives and helps you plan training investment.

Wellbeing and Support

These questions catch frustration, supply chain problems, and burnout before they cause resignations. Ask them genuinely, not as a box-ticking exercise.

"What's the single most annoying thing about your current setup? If you could fix one thing by next week, what would it be?"

This cuts through politeness to their top priority. Whatever they name is the thing most likely to make them leave if it's not addressed. The "single most" and "by next week" framing forces them to prioritise rather than list everything.

What good answers sound like:

• Names something specific and fixable rather than vague dissatisfaction
• Trusts you enough to be honest about genuine frustrations
• Differentiates between temporary annoyances and persistent problems

What to do with the answer: Fix it if you can. If you can't, explain why and offer alternatives. Either way, respond within 48 hours — speed of response matters more than the outcome.

"Are you getting everything you need from deliveries, or are you constantly chasing missing items or substitutions?"

Supply chain problems silently erode a baker's ability to produce consistent products. If they're regularly receiving wrong flour grades, missing ingredients, or poor-quality butter, they're wasting time adapting recipes and producing inferior products. This question surfaces procurement issues that affect their daily work.

What good answers sound like:

• Specific about which deliveries are reliable and which aren't
• Identifies patterns in supply problems (specific ingredients, specific days, specific suppliers)
• Shows they've been adapting but it's affecting quality or their sanity

What to do with the answer: If supply is consistently unreliable, address it with procurement. Set quality specifications, establish backup suppliers, and make sure the baker has a direct line to flag delivery problems. They shouldn't have to work around supply failures silently.

"How's the early start affecting you? Are you getting enough rest, or is the schedule wearing you down?"

Early-morning starts are the defining feature of bakery work and the most common cause of baker burnout. A 3am or 4am start means being in bed by 8pm, missing social events, and living on a different schedule from everyone else. Over time, this takes a cumulative toll on health, relationships, and engagement. This question checks whether the schedule is sustainable.

What good answers sound like:

• Honest about energy levels and sleep quality
• Identifies whether the current schedule is manageable long-term
• Shows self-awareness about burnout risks

What to do with the answer: If the early start is wearing them down, explore options. Can any production be shifted later? Can they work a compressed week? Can they have an extra rest day? Small schedule adjustments can prevent burnout. Don't wait until they're exhausted — address it proactively.

"Is there anything you need from me that you're not getting?"

This is the most important question in the section. It directly asks whether you're doing your job as their manager. Whatever they say, write it down. Then do it or explain why you can't — within 48 hours, not at the next one-to-one.

What good answers sound like:

• Specific and actionable ("I need you to sort out the oven calibration" rather than "more support")
• Trusts you enough to ask for something
• Acknowledges what you're already doing well alongside the gap

What to do with the answer: Deliver on it. Fast. If you make commitments and don't follow through, trust disappears and future one-to-ones become surface-level exercises.

Record frustrations, supply issues, and schedule concerns. Flag anything that suggests burnout or flight risk — these notes are critical early-warning signs that need action, not just documentation. Early-start fatigue is the number one retention risk for bakers.

Engagement Indicators

These are observational indicators you assess based on what you've seen during the week, not questions you ask directly. Tick each indicator that's genuinely present. Anything you can't tick is worth exploring — either in this meeting or through closer observation before the next one.

Maintaining consistent product quality — Are they still producing to the standard they're capable of? Or has quality started to slip — uneven crusts, inconsistent crumb, variable sizing? A decline in product consistency from a previously reliable baker is one of the earliest disengagement signals.

Showing care about presentation standards — Do they still take pride in how their products look? Are loaves scored neatly, pastries glazed evenly, products arranged with care? When a baker stops caring about presentation, they've stopped caring about the craft — and the job.

Communicating problems and equipment issues — Are they still flagging problems proactively? Or have they stopped mentioning the oven hot spots, the prover fluctuations, or the mixer noise? When someone stops reporting problems, they've decided nobody will fix them.

Showing interest in other kitchens and bakeries — Do they still talk about bread they've tried elsewhere, techniques they've read about, or bakeries they admire? Or have they become insular? Curiosity about the broader baking world indicates engagement beyond the daily production schedule.

Suggesting improvements and new products — Do they still propose new recipes, seasonal variations, or production improvements? Or have they stopped offering ideas? When a baker stops suggesting improvements, they've decided their opinions don't matter here.

Maintaining attendance and punctuality — Are they still arriving reliably for their early start? Or are there patterns of lateness or increased sick days? For a role where the start time is 3am or 4am, attendance patterns are a direct measure of commitment and wellbeing.

Note which indicators you couldn't tick and what you've observed. If multiple indicators are absent, this baker needs urgent attention — increase frequency to twice-weekly and focus on understanding what's changed.

Actions and Follow-Up

At the end of every one-to-one, summarise what you've both agreed to do. Say it out loud before you finish:

"So by next week I'm going to: [your actions]. And you're going to: [their actions]. Is that right?"

Then send a brief message confirming: "From today: I'm sorting [X] + [Y]. You're working on [Z]. Chat next [day] at [time]."

What to record:

• Your commitments with deadlines (e.g., "Chase the flour supplier about the last delivery by Thursday")
• Their commitments with deadlines (e.g., "Trial the new sourdough hydration this week and note results")
• Any items to escalate to the head chef or procurement team
• Topics to revisit next time

Follow-through matters more than anything else in this template. If you promise something, tell them when you've done it — don't wait for the next meeting. Message: "Spoke to the supplier — new flour sample arriving Wednesday." Bakers are used to working around problems that nobody notices. Being reliable sets you apart. If you can't do something you promised, tell them immediately and offer an alternative.

Session Notes

Record your overall impressions from the conversation: patterns you're noticing, changes in their engagement or mood, anything you want to revisit in future sessions.

This is also where you note how your approach should adapt:

• First 90 days: 80% listening, 20% guiding. Focus on understanding their world.
• Established relationship: Push into development territory. Technique mastery, career conversations, product development opportunities.
• When things are going well: Share business context, ask for their input on product decisions, acknowledge specific contributions.
• When things are struggling: Increase frequency, ask diagnostic questions, focus on support rather than criticism. Remove obstacles faster.

Over time, these session notes create a narrative of your working relationship — invaluable for performance reviews and progression decisions.

What's next

Once you've established regular one-to-ones, the conversations you have will feed directly into formal performance reviews. See our guide on Baker performance reviews for how to use the evidence you gather in these sessions to write a thorough, fair assessment.

• Read our Baker job description for the full scope of responsibilities
• Check out our Baker onboarding guide if you're supporting someone in their first 90 days