A baker is someone whose job is to make bread, cakes, cookies, pastries, and other baked goods. Bakers work in bakeries, restaurants, hotels, or sometimes in their own kitchens if they run a home baking business.

Baking is both a science and an art. A skilled baker understands how ingredients like flour, yeast, sugar, and butter work together. They know that bread dough needs time to rise, that oven temperature matters, and that measuring accurately can make the difference between a perfect cake and a flop. Many bakers start work very early in the morning, sometimes at 3 or 4 AM, so fresh bread and pastries are ready when customers arrive.

For thousands of years, bakers have been essential members of their communities. In medieval villages, the baker often ran the only oven hot enough to bake bread properly, so neighbors would bring their dough there to be baked.

Today's bakers might specialize in artisan breads, wedding cakes, French pastries, or gluten-free treats. Some become famous for a signature creation. Whether running a small neighborhood bakery or working in a large commercial kitchen, bakers combine technical skill, creativity, and early mornings to provide the treats and staples people enjoy every day.