Centre For Local Research into Public Space (CELOS)
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You are on the [cover page] of folder [Guest Baker Project]Guest Baker Project
There are eight or nine outdoor bake ovens in Toronto, only a few of which are used regularly throughout the year. The goal of the guest baker project is to learn what assets and challenges each oven has. A baker visits and bakes with the oven, often at a community event where the bread gets served. The process of arranging an occasion and actually baking unfolds characteristics of the oven, logistics of baking, and politics that surround it. We hope that these findings are useful for the future use of ovens as well as the building of one.
About the current baker on the project
Since the first day of my visit to Dufferin Grove Park, I have been in love with the ovens in the park. Ovens are not exactly a part of the Japanese culture I come from, but I have always aspired for one, a wood-fired oven.
Here at the park, the bakers taught me by doing, and I learned by doing. That is the way we decided to do our research.
An outdoor oven is really a wonderful thing to have, and I hope that more people and communities benefit from building one. --Yo Utano
Jeff Connell in front of the Woodlot oven
The first guest gig was on Dec.4 at Riverdale Farm, for their annual "Home for the Holidays" event. Yo was the baking assistant to Jeff Connell, and there was a preparatory meeting at Jeff's new restaurant, The Woodlot. Find out about Yo's experiences at the links below, and stay tuned for new entries as she visits more ovens.