Meet Guillermo Magana of Bored Baker Pizza Maker in Arizona

Guillermo, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I have always wanted to be a chef. However, I enlisted in the Army right out of High school. A few tours later, I was injured in Iraq and had no choice but to get out. I enrolled In le Cordon Bleu and started working at The Four Seasons as a banquet cook, Its there I fell in love with Pastry and Baking. Ive spent the last 9 yrs working at Binkley’s, The Phoenician, Various bakeries and currently as the head Pastry Chef at the Country Club at DC Ranch. A year ago we decided to open Bored Baker, since then there’s been no looking back, we’ve stayed busy enough to start building our second oven hire on more people, and win awards like best pizza at the Scottsdale Culinary Festival. We are currently in the works with a fixed location in Tempe providing delivery with various delivery companies near ASU main campus.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Really the most challenging part of this has been working a more than a full-time position at the club then coming home to prepare items for our gigs and executing them

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Bored Baker Pizza Maker – what should we know?
If anything sets me apart, it would have to be, being a baker and having the fine dining experience of a savory chef as well. I see things from both sides and really appreciate the science behind fermenting dough, as well the quality of imported Prosciutto.

What is your favorite childhood memory?
I remember walking into a buffet and seeing this amazing fruit carving, swans made from apples and a honeydew melon carved into two birds.