We recently connected with Melissa Mead and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Melissa with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
I learned at a young age that working is an extension of passion so my work ethic comes from enjoying what I do. I am a very self motivated learner, worker, and creator. I get excited when I have a project in front of me, especially when it requires precision and detailed execution. I find that the process flows best when there is not much outside influence and I can focus. Often times I will work in silence, letting my mind calculate, generate, and lightly problem solve the task ahead. I enjoy the time and space of this focus, I enjoy the hum of the ovens and the fans, I enjoy the experiences as I navigate through all the things that make up my days full of sourdough bread.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
The Windy Kitchen in Cheyenne is a little sourdough micro bakery we opened up in 2023 here is Cheyenne, Wyoming. It only took a moment for our business name to be born because 40-80 mph winds are normal around here so the name The Windy Kitchen in Cheyenne stuck.
Before taking the Sourdough plunge, I had never really baked anything in my life.
But a seed was planted the day someone gave me a sourdough starter that had been in their family for over 100 years. At first, I couldn’t figure out what to do with it since I don’t eat gluten myself due to a gluten intolerance. So it didn’t make sense to make myself sourdough bread. However, a gift given, especially one that old, needs to be honored. After keeping it alive for several years in my refrigerator, I finally decided I needed to learn how to use it, and I baked my first loaf in January 2023.
As I practiced, my pleasure for calculating and discovering the chemistry that is sourdough grew into sheer enjoyment. I realized this wasn’t just baking, it was an entire chemistry experiment. With temperatures, weights, and a live culture that made all the magic happen. After I learned the process, I was hooked. I jumped head first into learning the different factors that its takes to make a delicious loaf of sourdough bread. One of my favorite parts is scoring the bread, or designing the top of the bread so as it bakes, the design accentuates the top of the dough, becoming a beautiful display of artistry. Even though I don’t eat gluten, I find extreme joy in baking it for others.
However, after about 8 months of making bread for other people, I finally learned how to bake gluten-free sourdough for myself and it opened my personal world back up to eating bread again. It was amazing! So not only am I here for people that are passionate about sourdough bread….I’m here for all my gluten-free friends that just need a piece to toast with their breakfast or a sandwich with their soup. Since learning that, I have also been able to support my local gluten free customers in enjoying a loaf of gluten free sourdough bread. Its been lovely to connect with both my gluten free and gluten filled community. I love feeding people. And I’m so honored to bake bread for those who love it.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I find that my curiosity about new projects and specific skill development drove my desire to learn how to make beautiful sourdough bread. I learned so much from reading others experiences that were on their own sourdough journey. I also learned the sourdough skills from running my own experiments surrounding temperatures, timings, measurements, and components which was such a vital learning opportunity in my sourdough experimentation. It was a one woman journey that blossomed into a family business that has allowed us to integrate bread baking into our everyday life. Baking for others and feeding those around me is something I love doing. I was so happy to learn the process and to reach a level where I am able to provide a wonderful sourdough bread to my local community. So three skills I would say are helpful to have are curiousity, desire for learning new things, and passion for continuing the ever expanding journey.
How would you spend the next decade if you somehow knew that it was your last?
The energy it takes to create and bake 150 loaves for the famers markets takes consistancy and diligence, and our timer is always running. Sourdough waits for no one. It is a very time-sensitive, detail oriented, and demanding product. Sometimes it demands that I tap into energy reserves that I don’t always have available.
Recently having been diagnosed with Lupus, I’m very aware of how my body works (or doesn’t), which helps me navigate the energy that I do have, and be very contentious of where my body and energy levels are at.
At times, I float through the tasks with ease. At other time, it takes sheer will power and determination to get through the hours and hours of handling the dough from start to finish. I have found that, through all of the struggles that have lead me to here, they have formulated me to be the person I am. I’m so appreciative for where I am at, what I am doing, and what I have accomplished on a personal level, as well as a professional. Through all of it, I am so grateful.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thewindykitchenincheyenne.com
- Instagram: @thewindykitchenincheyenne
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewindykitchenincheyenne
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