Search | Menu Pie à la Madison Event Debuts at Madison College, Raises Money for Student Scholarships
Pie lovers rejoice! The first-ever Pie à la Madison even at Madison College with local bakeries offering sweet samples.
Madison College and Wisconsin Bakers Association (WBA) event also features pie demos, kids activities, a pie walk, and a chance to meet Madison College local celebrity alum, Jason “The Pie Guy.”
Event proceeds will provide scholarship funds for students in Madison College Baking & Decorative Arts program, and benefit the Wisconsin Bakers Association and Wisconsin Bakers Foundation.
Madison College Technical College is a longstanding training ground for some of Wisconsin’s best bakers, and its partnership with the Wisconsin Bakers Association keeps the industry strong.
Madison College students will roll up their sleeves and get into the mix at the March 3 event by helping out vendors, delivering curb-side orders, and making treats for the pie walk, says Suzanne Daly, program director of Madison College’s Baking and Decorative Arts Program.
“We try to give our students ways to meet and engage in the local baking industry with field trips, panel discussions, and events like this to expose them to the baking world and how they can see themselves fitting into the industry,” Daly says.
Students in the Madison College Baking & Decorative Arts technical diploma program get hands-on and theoretical training in creating bakery products from scratch, cake decorating, sugar and chocolate work, and plated dessert presentation. They also learn real-world merchandising and sales skills at the Truax campus bakery, that is open to the public.
Madison College baking alum, like Jason “The Pie Guy” Harder from local favorite Stella’s Bakery, also helps students network in the baking industry.
Other local bakeries at the event include Bakehouse 23, Elsie Mae's Sweet Shop, Stella's Bakery, Sweet Pea's Pies, Breadsmith of Appleton, Neat-O's Bake Shoppe, Pink Mocha Café, Sugar River Country Bakery, Norske Nook Restaurant & Bakery, and Papa Brunk's Bakery.
Pie à la Madison also features Madison College's state-of-the-art baking facilities and labs. Daly says it’s a chance to get a behind-the-scenes tour.
“This event brings the public to see Madison College’s baking lab and facilities, because their taxpayer dollars helped build this state-of-the-art facility, and we want them to see why so many students want to come to Madison College,” Daly says.
Wisconsin Bakers Association has found success with similar regional events throughout Wisconsin, so it only made sense for Madison College to partner with the organization to highlight southcentral bakeries and business, along with showcasing the college.
“This is our first year, so we certainly appreciate the support of the students and the Baking & Decorative Arts Program,” says Jessica Hoover, Executive Director of Wisconsin Bakers Association.
