NEWS RELEASE
NIAGARA HEALTH
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Cheryl Kidd isn’t your cookie cutter biomedical technologist.
By day, Cheryl works with the biomedical engineering team at the Niagara Falls Hospital repairing and troubleshooting equipment for frontline staff. But when her shift ends, she trades her tools for an apron and mixing bowl at her home-based bakery, The Chippawa Bakeshop.
“Between working full-time and having a busy family, I want to be the person someone comes to when they’re going to someone’s house and they want to bring something, or they need treats,” Cheryl says. “It provides an alternative to grocery stores. A lot of people are disappointed in the grocery store products where they cut corners on ingredients.”
If it sounds like Cheryl is on a mission, she is.
The 13-year Niagara Health veteran is dedicated to keeping hospital equipment -- such as heart and blood pressure monitors, incubators, infusion pumps and ventilators -- in prime working condition and contributing to providing high-quality care.
“Patient safety is our priority,” Cheryl says.
When in the presence of flour, butter, sugar and a whisk, Cheryl has a similar aim.
“Delicious food is tied to people’s memories, emotions and feelings of well-being,” she explains. “It’s my passion and a responsibility I want to share with the world.”
Cheryl’s journey as a pastry prodigy began she was eight and baked her first apple crisp. Growing up in Niagara, she was always encouraged by her mother to help in the kitchen.
Cheryl recalls how proud she felt making something so delicious, and that success at an early age spurred childhood dreams of one day opening her own bakery.
Then another interest took hold after high school when she chose to study electronics at Niagara College. Her introduction to biomedical applications came thanks to a teacher who had a medical equipment design business.
After graduating, she headed to Fanshawe College for a post-graduate certificate in biomedical electronics and then forged a career in the field.
“I love how I get to work on things that are technical and also get to learn about the body and how the two interact,” Cheryl says.
After a few jobs elsewhere, “I got my dream job here,” she says about Niagara Health. “I always had my eye on working here.”
Through it all, Cheryl honoured her love of baking by whipping up spontaneous batches of scones or muffins for her family, and hanging out a virtual shingle on Facebook Marketplace advertising her homemade shortbread for sale during the holidays.
Last year, she spent the time and money building a certified, inspected kitchen in her home to meet the demand during baking’s high seasons of Christmas, Easter and summer. Cheryl also bakes simple cakes for different occasions.
Over time, she’s built up a regular and loyal clientele, taking orders and delivering the results.
“Baking gives people good memories,” Cheryl says. “It makes people feel good to eat good food. I bake everything like I’m baking for family.”
This past summer, her profession and passion merged when she created a shortbread cookie cutter during a 3D printing competition. The result was a rectangular cutter on one side and a docking tool on the other to poke holes in the dough, allowing steam to escape and ensuring a flat and even texture to the shortbread.
Although the judges ultimately awarded the 3D printing champ title to Cheryl’s coworker Ryan Crawford for his detailed replica of an oven, Cheryl still walked away with a win. She had long sought a tool to cut and perforate her shortbread dough perfectly and she now has a working prototype.
She maintains the real secret to good shortbread is to cream the butter at least three to five minutes. As for juggling life as a biomed tech and baker, it’s all about finding the right mix.
“I feel like I get the best of both worlds,” Cheryl says. “I don’t want the baking to be too busy. Just a slow climb. Everything is in place to be busier when time allows.”
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