June 30, 2006

Pastry chef Walter Howald shares his expertise worldwide

His mom remembered his beautiful mud pies

By Donna H. Eliason
Staff Writer

After Walter Howald’s high school graduation in Baden, Switzerland, he wondered what was next.

After a successful career as a pastry chef, Walter Howald now enjoys painting and spending time with his wife, Hannah, in The Villages, where the couple now lives. Photo by Donna H. Eliason

He didn’t want more schooling, but needed a career. He wasn’t interested in working in the local steel mill with his dad and most town men. Finally his mother said, “You used to make beautiful mud pies. Maybe you should look into being a baker.”

Since that was as good as any other suggestion, Howald served three years as a pastry apprentice in Bern. His parents paid for his tuition and accommodations. Two days a week he studied, then worked three days in the bakery with little or no pay. Two bakery owners oversaw his work, all of which led to his passing the final state bakery exam.

New opportunities in Walnut Creek
In l955, 25-year-old Howald read a trade magazine employment ad for a pastry chef with a three-year contract at the Sugar Plum Bakery in Walnut Creek. Not only did this mean new opportunities for his pastry career, but he’d always dreamed of seeing the world as well.

Since the ad indicated preference for a married man, Howald and his fiancée, Hanna, decided to marry immediately, a process that included much paperwork, a three-week waiting period and could be opposed by anyone for any reason. After receiving the position over 37 other applicants, Howald and his wife traveled to San Francisco two months later.

Whatever is angel food cake?
Adjusting to a new country, culture and language sometimes involved difficult situations. At the bakery, Howald was surprised at a request for an angel food cake. Being raised with the metric system, cups, ounces and pounds presented new challenges. Arriving with no English skills, he remembered having the option in school to learn English but declined because the mandatory French provided sufficient challenges.

Other bakers, the shop owner and friends helped them with such items as a car purchase. The Howalds grocery shopped with a dictionary. Once they returned home with tuna only to discover it was for cats.

“The American baking is different from the European one, the flour is different, the mixes are different, the equipment and the ovens are different, and for me there was the language and the English measurement to add to the problems,” said Howald.

The whole town would whisper
“Early on I had the feeling we made a big mistake about coming to America,” He said. “At the same time, I knew that we had no choice but to hang in there. It was just against my hard head to throw in the towel and hear the whole town whispering, ‘Here they are again. They couldn’t take it. We thought so all along.’”

Howald and his wife completed the three-year contract before returning to Switzerland with their new son Werner. Ten months later, they realized their hearts were still in California. After applying for citizenship, they returned to the Bay Area.

“We ran into people that did everything they could in order to help us, regardless of the inconvenience or costs,” said Howald.

At the time Hanna was pregnant with their second son Peter. Howald answered an ad for Blum’s Restaurant in San Francisco. Because of his new allergic reaction to flour, he didn’t get the job until later, when he was offered a position without flour contact, the head decorator.

They have four bakeries in the Bay Area
With his expertise and strong work habits, Howald soon owned four bakeries in the area:

The LeCroissant Bakery in Sunnyvale, Larson’s Bakery in Los Altos, La Patisserie in Cupertino and The Coffee Break in Saratoga. All three sons learned baker skills, but only the youngest son, Roger, is working for a Fresno bakery.

Besides caring for their household and three sons, Hanna’s always been a team player with her husband. She ran the shop and did the bookkeeping, while her husband baked.

Howald’s life drastically changed when he had a heart attack at age 41.

“The entire world around me starting to collapse. My priorities changed in my head and the business and making money and stress, smoking and working day and night were not in first place any more,” he said.

While in the hospital for three weeks, he had time to quit smoking and to evaluate his personal and family life.

Helping others and seeing what tourists miss
After retirement he joined the I.E.S.C., the International Executive Service Corp, a non-profit program where retired people share their expertise with those in developing nations. Howald shared his expertise in pastry and artistic creativity in cake decorations in Bulgaria, Romania, Egypt, Zambia, Slovakia, St. Lucia in the Caribbean, Jamaica, Honduras, Guatemala and Russia.

“I’ve seen places most tourists never see. I’ve stayed with families and seen their countries from their viewpoint,” he said.

In each locale, Howald and his wife stayed for several weeks or months, honing in on local needs. Sometimes he gave demonstrations, shared techniques and suggestions, taught about new products, or helped with improving the layout, operations or production efficiency. In Jamaica, he opened a vocational school and designed the pastry production curriculum.

“I’ve learned a lot from these people who just never had the opportunity to get the schooling,” Howald said.
During this time, Hanna helped children in orphanages, schools and hospitals.

A Guatemalan wedding cake for 700 people
The Howalds recently returned from their favorite place, Guatemala, where they visited former clients who are now friends. When their friend’s daughter married, Howald kept his promise to bake a 700-person wedding cake. Their friend’s son lived with the Howalds for seven months to learn the bakery business.

Howald made a video, “The Art of European Decorating,” taught cake-decorating techniques for the Retail Bakers Association, and worldwide conferences. For his efforts he won the David Rockefeller Spirit of Service Award for the class of l993.

Life changes in The Villages
Four years ago the Howalds moved to The Villages. Howald now paints, and is a member of the Art Club and Camera Club. Even though he loves chocolate, he’s a careful eater and swims daily. They both enjoy their seven grandchildren.

“I’ve enjoyed life with Hanna tremendously,” said Howald.

As words of encouragement he said, “If something appeals to you, go for it. Don’t just go for the money. Do what you like.”