We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Angela Lupica a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Angela thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

Everyone has a different path when it comes to finding their place in the Food World. That’s one of the things I love most about this absolute circus production we call a career. There’s no right or wrong way to enter it, everyone has a shot to learn something valuable. Maybe connect a few dots along the way.

I think it attracts a certain type of person & while often a transitionary period for some, it swallowed me whole.

I figured out early on my learning style wasn’t traditional. Long format education, stagnant hands-off classes, rules & monotony. It was slow death.

In kitchens I could move, I could hustle, I could push my brain, my body, my thoughts. I felt that high of completing a thousand tiny tasks, the challenge of doing more, doing it better, doing it again. I found myself in those moments & it shaped my growth.

I can accredit whatever it is I know to that feeling & the people around me who craved it too. Getting absolutely lost in the process, the rush, everything coming together in the end. That’s how I learned.

Looking back, I took on too many jobs, too many hours, too much bullshit. While it pushed me, it also pulled away from the mental time you really need to absorb. I said yes to everything, wanting so desperately to learn. I allowed treatment that I shouldn’t have, pay that was laughable & hours that would make you shudder. I worked 2-3 jobs for years. Opening bakeries in the morning, closing restaurant kitchens at night, picking up shifts & stages. But eventually I burnt myself out, became resentful towards the assholes & ungrateful of the gift I so eagerly wanted to receive. It was a vicious cycle of pleasure & pain.

If I could go back, I’d slow down to think. To work or study in other locations, travel. To not commit myself to roles that wouldn’t last or benefit. I’d get out of the small-town mindset & give myself space, time to seek out other opportunities.

The skills that I found to be most essential? Preparedness & consistency. In whatever capacity you can pull off, planning for chaos, understanding the steps, finding joy in them. Keep going in & giving a shit.

When I think of my career & its obstacles, I think of the entitled men that dominated those spaces, with much smoother trajectories. Not to mention the daftness of owners / leaders that never seem to value their staff or their customers for that matter.

I’ve learned so much on what not to do, haven’t we all in every industry ? — Lately I’m focusing on what I can do.
Whatever room I’m in, I’m trying to make it better, show up the way I needed my leaders to. Hopefully I can get a few days right.

Angela, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m a working class Pastry Chef / Baker from Cleveland, Ohio.

I’ve spent the majority of my career working for small business Bakeries, Cafes & Restaurants. I’ve operated a side project that goes by the name “Little Wolf”- I dream of a little space to call my own, cooking & baking for my community & the wonderful weirdoes I’ve met along the way.

My work has been in French Viennoiserie, bread, confections, bagel-ry, food styling, recipe development, custom bakery, plated & composed desserts etc. Pastry folks & bakers wear many hats, I’m always trying to make my fellow bakers proud.

I try to focus on simple quality ingredients, working with farmers, growers & creators. I’ve done a series of pop ups over the years, collaborating with other businesses & women in the industry. Some of my best memories have been at these events. I’ve met so many incredible people & some of my closest friends because of this industry. I’m very grateful to everyone who has stuck with me & showed up for me over the years.

I consider myself very lucky to be able to do what I do. Sharing food, connection, being a part of celebrations, conjuring a comforting memory. It’s something I don’t take lightly & it fuels me on my hardest days.

I’m a strong, sassy, tender, love bombing people pleaser & I want you to have the very best bite.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

Regardless of my position in kitchens, I somehow always end up in a quasi leadership role. Maybe I’m the most outspoken, or the most relentless person in the room. And I love a good task sheet. This could be a bit of a toxic trait at times. I’m working on that.

Leadership is something I’m always struggling with. Living in a constant fear of repeating the mistakes of the parental chef units that have come before me. Taking out my frustrations & sh*tty learned behaviors on the wrong person at the wrong time. Poor front of house, they really get on our bad sides. If you know, you know.

I’m in no place to say I have anything figured out. But I’ve noticed some things that helped me & hopefully a few others.

A big part of working with people is meeting them where they are. Making an effort to understand someone’s abilities, strengths, weakness & areas they feel intrigued by.

You can’t just smash people into a spot & expect them to feel comfortable, confident or helpful.

Even just a little comprehensive training. -How is this person motivated & connected to the work if at all?

How to engage with them so that they can comfortably show you how they learn best.

Knowing that everyone comes to information differently, showing a willingness to understand their particular language of learning & sharing spaces respectfully.

Listening is a massive component. You’d be surprised at how quickly energies change when people feel heard & supported.

It sounds so simple, but I’ve sat down with a table of big bad cooks who sob the moment you create a safe space for conversation & show interest in their growth.

Morale is such a hard thing to maintain in an industry built on fleeting wins & losses.
You could go from a sterling, smooth night of service, to absolute mayhem & self-loathing within seconds.

I think the only fight against that collective misery is holding onto the sparks & making a point of acknowledging them.
Be proud of every step, rejoice when you get it right, say you’re sorry when you’re wrong.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

15 years ago I wish I would have known that instagram would be this absolute giant in food influencing. Sometimes it’s hard to watch from the sidelines. I don’t make food primarily for photos, or content.
It’s incredibly hard to compete with mansion home kitchens, state of the art equipment & unrealistic productions.
It’s a beautiful & wonderful tool, I’m inspired & connected to so many great accounts. But some days it feels like high school.
You get the envy bug, watching someone make banana bread for 10k a month.

Sometimes I wish I could scream, thinking about how many hours, how many degrading moments I had to experience to be allowed to put one thing on a menu, or a specials board. It comes from a petty place. I wish them well as I deck scrub the kitchen floor.

Yes, that’s a resource I wish I’d known about earlier, Oh & the confidence to pursue it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.littlewolffbakes.com/
• Instagram: wolffmaiden
• Linkedin: Angela Lupica

Image Credits
Plated dessert on gold plate & portrait taken by @haleyaldeanhoto all other photos taken by Angela Lupica @wolffmaiden