On the 25th of November 1935, the first son “Walter”, (Father of Michael Wendel) was born, and 5 years later, the 2nd son “Gerhard” (Uncle of Michael Wendel) was born. With the age of 15, the first son Walter started his professional career in 1950 as an apprentice with his father Gustav (a Master Baker), and had to experience first hand an old German saying:

「Alle Anfang ist schwer, uebung machen die Meister.」

Very common at the time – you produced something as an apprentice, and it did not turn out the way it should be, you earned yourself an intensive twist on the ear or a smack in the face, and if you ask why – you (for sure) got a second one – and so on…, it was called “high efficiency learning”. After 3 years of learning his lessons in quality work, consistency, and order, Walter were scrutinized by the examination committee consisting of Master Bakers and Teachers about his abilities in theory and practice, he become a baker craftsman in 1953. Fulfilling his duties for 5 years as a craftsman, he was entitled to apply for a Master Baker examination by entering in the Master Baker training school. Walter (retired) holding a master baker’s degree for over four decades. With that degree, he was entitled to open his own shop, as well as employ baker craftsmen and train apprentices. Walter married his wife Ria in 1961, with their first son “Wolfgang” born in May 1962, who became later on a famous musician.
Their second son “Michael” was born in November 1971, and while growing up around his father in and out of the bakery, he completed high school successfully, and followed in his father’s footsteps to become a Baker Apprentice at a nearby bakery and completed successfully as a Baker craftsman due to the excellent training received from his Master Baker, Mr. Renner. He than decided to enter a second apprenticeship as a pastry-cook apprentice in a famous Pastry-Shop in Gramisch-Partenkirchen, 400 km away from home to broaden his horizon within the bakery & pastry profession. Apart from working as a Pastry Chef, he entertained some part-time occupation as barkeeper and sports teacher (for skiing) in hotels.

Than the sea captured his imagination and he became a seaman, but remaining in his profession as a baker & pastry chef. He worked for the Cunard line for two years on the Vistafjord, Sagafjord and Queen Elisabeth 2 and baked bread on all seven seas around the world. In 1995, he went back to school to obtain his Master Baker degree. With an extraordinary extensive training program completed, he finished best of his class and received an excellence award from the German government. As old habits die hard, he still felt to travel and consequently arrived in Taiwan to fill an opening as Bakery & Pastry Chef for the newly developed joint venture in-flight catering from Cathy Pacific and China Airlines. After about 4 years and handling 25,000 to 30,000 meal condiments per day, he noticed the potential for a German Bakery in Taiwan.