Marda Stoliar Pastry Chef: the Backstory, or Why #MARDASGiftFilm is Such an Important Documentary to Make
A fascinating Smart Conversation with Pastry Chef Marda Stoliar, her Executive Producer, Sheila Rittenberg, and my BFF Toby Bloomberg.
(Can’t wait to see the show? Scroll to the bottom. That’s where the video is.)
I learned of Marda through the Executive Producer of the film being made about her life. Sheila Rittenberg was a Smart Conversations guest not that long ago. She brought the story of Marda Stoliar and her life to me and I had to share. I met Sheila through my BFF Toby Bloomberg, who was one of the very first guests I had on the Smart Conversations show, almost four years ago. Toby and I have been friends for nigh on 20 years now. We share delightful stories like this across social media and invite you to do the same. I’m certain you’ll want to tell others about this, after watching the show.
These two women, Sheila and Toby, are the reasons I was able to bring this show to all of you. A story about a documentary film being made, by a group of women who believe in its purpose. A show full of the story of life – one woman’s life. One woman who is living her life to the fullest, doing something she loves. Sharing that one message we all need to hear, over and over, You can do it, too!
It’s more of a show than a conversation, although I kept that aspect throughout because I believe in the casual approach to sharing. I knew we would need more than 30 minutes to really hear Marda’s stories. After all, how do you stop a conversation in the middle of a story about shoes, or building bakeries, or what to keep in your pantry? (And why Americans should be weighing ingredients, not depending on our spoons and cups. Who knew?)
Honestly, we went on a little longer but even as we approached the end, I felt we’d just tapped the surface of Marda’s backstory. And that is why you need to join us in supporting the film. Visit the site and donate. Watch her movie trailer (it’s on the page, you’ll find it). Share with friends.
In a world of divisiveness, baking bread, making cakes, eating with other people, can calm nerves and change moods. Breaking bread with people brings us together as a group, doing something each person in the group likes to do – eat.
Marda Stoliar brings her energy and stories to this show and it’s my hope that you will find some inspiration in the stories told here, to help you move forward in your life.
But, Sheila, the Executive Producer of the film, shares some insight, too. Insight into the making of a documentary film. It’s not shooting a video, folks. There is a whole team involved, all women as mentioned earlier, who are dedicated to making this happen.
Sheila talks about the reasons she’s involved – not just to pay tribute to her friend, Marda, but to show the world a woman who embodies the “can do” approach to life. Even at the tender age of 80!
It’s because I feel so strongly about this story, about how Marda, just one woman, accomplished so much, not out of a desire to be a star, only out of a desire to be a good pastry chef and how she then turned her attention to teaching others. To helping others learn this unique baking skill, to better their lives, and sometimes, the lives of their family (and in at least one case, a whole community! watch and learn).
This is a conversation with Marda Stoliar about her backstory. A little walk down memory lane, uncovering how it all began.
It was on a cold and rainy night in June… well, maybe it was cold. Maybe it was rainy. Maybe it was June. I don’t know. I only know that Marda Stoliar’s story starts well before her fame as a pastry chef.
Watch and learn about how and why she studied black and white photography. Working under Ansel Adams and Minor White. From 6 a.m. until midnight, she tells us. Taking those black and white photos. Finessing her skill with the camera. Putting her eye to the lens, capturing beauty one click at a time.
You’ll hear about shoes and how it it came to be that Marda, who was very young in the 1960s, brought her talent to shoe design.
You’ll learn how well traveled Marda is and how her travels have influenced her work. How she apprenticed in baking in Venice during the night – after her work day.
You’ll hear about a hard roll, with a hole in the middle, and how it moved Marda to learn baking to begin with.
There is so much story here, I knew even an hour would not be enough, and we did go over, just a little bit. To do justice to Marda’s backstory. You’ll be riveted to your seats. You’ll be inspired to do something new in your life.
You’ll learn how this woman, this 80 year old woman, changed people’s lives – because she could. Because she believes in following your dreams. Because she brings imagination, vision, talent, and boundless energy to everything she does.
And there’s a bit about architecture in the story, too. Yes, Marda as architect. Watch and discover.
Find Marda and more information about the film on her website. Easy peasy to donate there. Just saying.
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