“Baking is both art and science,” said Aferdita “Day” Boga, a Hartsdale-based travel writer who also works as a team leader in the Hartsdale franchise of the hugely popular Paris Baguette group.
The Albania-born Boga originally came to the United States to promote Albanian tourism and culture, she told the Westfair Business Journal. She has written two best-selling books about her country and, in collaboration with her husband, Cafo Boga, has published a new, expanded guide to Albania.
As financial factors and personal circumstances steer folks towards jobs and careers that may not have been their original choice or intention, Boga’s particular story resonated with “Eye on Small Business,” because it demonstrates how two seemingly disparate career trajectories can combine.
Indeed, taking employment at Paris Baguette was not a random choice but more of a considered progression. Boga had started developing an interest in the food industry in her high school days in Tirana, the capital of Albania. After graduating, she pursued a degree in food engineering.
“In many ways, working in patisserie retail is a natural extension of my academic background,” she explained. “Today, I am happy to be part of Paris Baguette, even though my professional journey later expanded into the tourism industry. Now I am trying to bring those two worlds – food and travel – together.”
Boga reflected how her education helps her understand process control, ingredient integrity and operational standards at a deeper level. Looking at her writing career, she said that producing such in-depth works required extensive field research – and that research had taught her discipline, attention to detail, documentation skills and the importance of authenticity. Those are qualities, she said, she now uses daily in management, communication and customer engagement.
“The most useful skills from my background? Systems thinking, discipline, communication and problem-solving,” she added.
Instead of carping that her original writing career has not been one she has been able to follow exclusively, she said that her position as a team leader suits her current needs well, adding that she believes she is ready to assume greater responsibility in the food/restaurant industry when the opportunity arises. Meanwhile, one line of work does not preclude the other, and Boga said that she and her husband continue developing their publishing and cultural projects.
And instead of finding any incongruity with “wearing her two hats,” Boga was enthusiastic about the interconnectivity. She explained how she had grown up with Albania’s simple but deeply flavorful Mediterranean cuisine at a time when agriculture was largely clean and based on local cultivars adapted to specific regions.
“The connection I feel with Paris Baguette lies in the emphasis on quality ingredients and professional techniques. The company combines high quality ingredients with advanced baking methods. My appreciation for ingredient integrity and freshness is something that naturally aligns with their standards.”
Despite the name, Paris Baguette is not only about bread. It offers pastries, cakes, gourmet sandwiches and an extensive coffee and tea bar. Boga said that some customers will drive the best part of an hour just for coffee and pastry, which gives you some idea of the quality and appeal of the product, including an espresso menu that changes seasonally and for holidays.
And of course, Paris Baguette is not “Parisian” either, but rather a successful South Korean franchise operation – founded in 1988 by the SPC Group – that as of December 2024 numbered more than 3,700 retail stores at home, with 200-plus across the United States and more than 10 in Canada.
In Hartsdale, her direct responsibilities include ensuring the store and her shift team operate smoothly. She said she emphasizes teamwork, accountability and customer satisfaction. During peak hours, the team focuses on preparation, continuous restocking and communication. Training is largely on-the-job, she said, and she constantly reminds her team that customer service must remain a priority – even in stressful moments.
As for her own personal goals, again the distinct “hats” she wears are not exclusive but complementary, or at least she manages to make them so.
“(My husband and I) are currently working on another book about Albania and the Balkans,” she said, “(while) also exploring the idea of launching something food-related – perhaps a magazine or digital portal. Food and travel are passions we share deeply.
“Combining our interests in food, culture, and travel feels like a natural next step,” she concluded. “After all, what could be better than traveling the world and savoring its culinary traditions?”
