It’s been a year of expansion at Winslow’s Home. In February, Lisa Fernandez-Cruz came on board to create and oversee the baking program as executive pastry chef. Now Winslow’s is adding to its bakery staff again, this time by snagging Joe Stein, former kitchen manager of Local Harvest Cafe.
“He has a natural knack for bread,” Fernandez-Cruz said of Stein. “His attitude and skill-set is a great fit for expansion. He’ll be a real asset to the team.”
Stein arrives just as Winslow’s bakery program is itself expanding in size and scope, adding five to six new pastries and breads to an already diverse selection of tarts, croissants and artisan breads. Fernandez-Cruz also plans to increase the quantity of baked goods produced each day, part of her vision to be the “cornerstone bakery” for its University City neighborhood.
Baking has been the foundation of Stein’s career. In addition to his work experience at LHC, he is also enrolled in the baking and pastry program at St. Louis Community College to learn “what can’t be learned on the job.” He is scheduled to complete the program in spring 2015.
Stein was upbeat about his new position, but added that he finds it hard to leave colleagues behind at LHC. “I’ve loved working at Local Harvest and love the people,” he said. “But I’m ultimately positive about the move.”
-photo by Greg Rannells
This article appears in October 2014.