Zhang Shuai and Jin Huizi visit France’s biggest mill!
张帅和金会子参观法国第一大磨坊
“Flour” is such an essential ingredient for bakers that it is among the first words that the Young Bakers study during their English classes, right after learning how to introduce themselves! After a few years of experience in bakery and pastry, Zhang Shuai and Jin Huizi had polished their knowledge of this product, however something was missing for the future SYB teachers: to see with their own eyes the transformation of wheat into flour. They had this unique opportunity on April 14th, thanks to our in-kind sponsor Grands Moulins de Paris (GMP), who opened wide the doors of their mill for us!
“面粉“对于烘培师来说是不可或缺的原料，所以面粉一词几乎是每一位年轻烘焙师在他们的英语课上除了自我介绍外最先学会的单词！虽然在烘培坊的多年经验使得张帅和金会子对于面粉有了新的认识，但对于这些未来的海上青焙坊（SYB）的教师们来说有些事他们仍需亲身经历——亲眼见证小麦如何变为面粉。4月14日，我们的原料赞助商巴黎大磨坊（GMP）为我们敞开大门，提供了这独一无二的体验机会。
We were doubly lucky since our guide for this visit was Dominique Genty, GMP’s master baker and seasoned trainer! Zhang Shuai and Jin Huizi had both met him at the annual master class he gives at SYB and were thrilled to see him again. When we arrived at the site, we stood in awe at the sheer size of the building, France’s biggest mill! We tried to imagine how many tons of wheat are grinded daily in this mill, knowing that French people eat on average 58kg of bread a year!
与此同时我们也有幸由巴黎大磨坊（GMP）经验丰富的训练师兼烘焙师Dominique Genty作为我们的向导! 在其授课的海上青焙坊(SYB)年度大师课堂上有过一面之缘后，张帅和金会子都对于与Genty的再度相见感到分外激动。走近磨坊，我们惊叹于其庞大的规模，真不愧是法国最大的磨坊！鉴于法国人平均每年食用58千克面包，我们不难想见这个磨坊每天就要研磨好几吨的小麦！
The visit started by a tour of GMP’s impressive R&D facilities and testing center. GMP works with a network of wheat producers located in an area of about 100 km around Paris. However, before these producers can deliver their load, they have to comply with a stringent inspection: samples are taken off and the wheat’s properties are carefully controlled by GMP’s experienced analysts. “I had no idea that the chemical properties of the grain were so complex and that there was such a long process before the wheat could even enter the mill!” exclaimed Zhang Shuai.
此次参观的首站是巴黎大磨坊（GMP）先进的研发设备及测试中心。巴黎大磨坊（GMP）与巴黎周边100千米范围内的小麦生产商建立起了合作网络。然而，在生产商们交付小麦前必须经过严格的产品检查：巴黎大磨坊(GMP)经验丰富的分析人员将采取小麦样品并严格把关小麦的品质。“我真没想到这些农作物会有如此复杂的化学属性，小麦在进入磨坊加工前还需经过如此繁琐漫长的检验过程！”张帅如是表示。
Genty then showed us around the baking center, where his colleagues and him check that the flour conforms to GMP’s high standards, test new products and develop new recipes for their clients worldwide.
接着Genty到我们参观了烘焙中心，在那里他和他的同事们检测面粉是否达到了磨坊的高标准，测试新产品以及研制满足全球客户要求的食谱。
We then went to look at the truck’s incessant procession and were even able to see a barge unloading on the river right behind the mill! After entering the mill, we went down 8 floors filled with buzzing machinery, Zhang Shuai and Jin Huizi carefully listening to Genty’s explanation of the grinding process.
随后我们看到了交易货车的频繁出入并有幸看到了货船在磨坊后方的河上停船卸货！进入磨坊后，我们走过了8层摆放着嗡嗡作响的机器设备的车间，张帅和金会子认真地听着Genty讲解小麦研磨过程。
Our visit ended at the export zone: the mill is only the beginning of the journey for the grain of wheat, that will be then loaded in trucks and containers to be sent to bakery professionals and amateurs all around the world.
我们在大磨坊的参观终点站是货品出口区：这座磨坊仅仅是小麦漫长旅程的起点，它们随后将会被包装上车，送去全球各地的专业亦或是业余烘焙坊。
The bakers’ team then headed to the Ecole de Boulangerie et de Pâtisserie de Paris, a professional bakery school created by GMP in 1929, to end the day with a tour of their facilities. “I’m really glad that we had the opportunity to visit a mill, I can’t wait to share this knowledge with our future students!” said Jin Huizi.
烘焙师们一行随后来到了巴黎烘焙西点学校——一座在1929年由巴黎大磨坊（GMP）创立的专业烘焙学校，在这里我们参观了他们的设备并以此为一天的行程画上句号。金会子表示: “我感到十分荣幸能有机会参观这座磨坊，我等不及要与我未来的学生们分享我的所见所得了！”
Thank you to GMP for their long-standing support to our charity program and in particular to Dominique Genty for being so generous with his precious time!
在此感谢巴黎大磨坊（GMP）对我们慈善项目的大力支持，并衷心感谢Dominique Genty 抽出宝贵时间陪同我们进行参观。
Floriane, SYB advisor
Floriane, 海上青焙坊顾问