Meet Abby Pederson — Executive Pastry Chef

What does your job entail?
I am part of our Innovation Team where we develop new products for Lunds & Byerlys. We present numerous concept ideas by request of the category directors and then orchestrate plant trials to prepare for launch to our stores.

How long have you been with the company?
I joined L&B in 2012! I worked in our stores for a decade before joining the Innovation Team. 

What other roles have you held at L&B?
I started in our bakeries as a part-time department closer and then became a full-time Pastry Chef shortly after. From there, I completed the Master Pastry Chef training and held that position until moving on to become an Executive Chef.

What do you love most about your job?
I love that I get to be creative and bring fun, exciting products to our company that no one else in the market offers. I work with an amazing team, and I love the collaboration we have when coming up with new ideas.

Have you used any of the training, development or benefits options from L&B?
Although I haven’t participated in any of the company training programs, I am so lucky to be a part of the culinary professionals program where the students get to come to the Innovation Kitchen. It is so fun to see them learn new things and get excited about using their new knowledge to help our customers. 

What or who inspired you to pursue the career you have?
When I was 8 years old my grandma taught me how to make her Christmas Eve cinnamon rolls. She told me that there are people who get to bake for a job and from then on, I knew that was what I wanted to do when I grew up! I went to pastry school right after graduating high school and have been in the industry for over 17 years. I love that I have so many opportunities to continue learning both new and classic techniques. 

Which accomplishments are you most proud of during your time at L&B?
I have a hard time thinking of my accomplishments without considering everyone that I’ve gotten to work with in my time at L&B. So, I would say that I’m proudest of our employees. I’ve had a lot of support from managers and co-workers and my accomplishments wouldn’t be possible without that support. We have a lot of amazing people in our company, and together we have accomplished incredible things.

What is your favorite part about working at L&B?
One of my favorite things about working at L&B is seeing how involved our company is in the community. We do so much, from donating food to hosting store celebrations to showing appreciation to our employees and customers. One thing about food is that it is an integral part to almost every aspect of life. As employees of a grocery store, we get to be a part of so many special occasions for our customers. Whether it is making someone’s dream wedding cake, a bar platter for a baby shower, or sandwiches for a funeral, we get to be there for our customers through every step of life.  

What is your favorite L&B product?
I am a true lover of food and it’s very difficult to pick just one product. However, I’m a strong believer that if you can make something in its simplest form and make it perfectly, you can make anything. So, I would pick our cheesecake as one of my favorite products we sell. It has a great flavor and texture, is delicious on its own, and it’s the perfect canvas to dress up any way you like and pair with countless other flavors.