For those of you that have shops or do a big volume, how do you handle the work flow? Do you bake on one day for the whole week, do you bake every day, do you ice one day, decorate one day, etc.?

I've never worked in food service so I don't know how the work flow goes.

I'm going to be building a shop and am trying to figure out my schedule. I did cakes from my home kitchen for several years, so I have some idea about the volume once I'm able to advertise.

Thanks for any advice.

Pam

Ok anybody want to tell me how they schedule their time????

Thanks!

Bake on Wednesdays, cut fill base ice Thurs, cover in fondant an decorate Fridays, deliver Saturdays. I can do up to 6 wedding cakes per weekend if Im organized.

We bake everyday. All day. We have a storefront that has a case for walk in sales though. We bake in the morning for orders and decorate in afternoons for orders on next day. We are always working one day ahead. Of course weekends are heavier bake days because of increase of events.

First, you can't compare how you bake at home with how it will work in a comm'l kitchen. Two different worlds. Working in a comm'l kitchen is SO much better, faster and easier.

Second, assembly line working is so much more efficient than one-at-a-time processes. Baking one day, icing them all at once, etc., makes for better use of your time and equipment.

Are you going to be a walk-in shop with counter sales or by appointment only with cake-by-order only?

Thanks. Do you stack first then decorate or decorate then stack?

It will be by order only. No ready made for walkins.

The way I've done it at home is the same as Cakesondemand. Bake Wed, Ice and Fill Thurs, Decorate Fri, Deliver Sat.

I don't have a big business yet and all of it is custom. I'm closed on Mondays and don't usually go to the shop. If I do, it's to work on gumpaste flowers. My schedule for the weekend cakes are: On Tuesday, I cover boards, make gumpaste and fondant pieces, etc. Wed - I make icings and fillings. thursday, I bake. Friday, I fill, ice and decorate. Saturday - pickups and deliveries. I bake fresh for everything and bake 2 days ahead.

So, If I have cakes during the week, I"ll bake on Tues or Wed also. Lot's of times, I'll make icings on Tuesday. It just depends on what my orders are and what needs to be done.

I ran my buisness from home for 3 years and although I have my shop, I still conduct the same work flow. Bake on tuesdays, crumb coat on Thursda, Friday decorate and have every cake ready for Saturday delivery. It's pretty effective. I forgot to mention that I do all decorations like gumpast two week prior