Clintonville baker Susan Fisher finds sweet spot at Ohio Village kitchen

Susan Fisher went from a boardroom to a bakery in a few short years.

The Clintonville resident owns Knosh Columbus, a former home-based business turned full-fledged bakery, running it out of the American House Hotel kitchen space in Ohio Village, which is operated by the Ohio History Connection.

The organization's Ohio History Center museum is adjacent to the village grounds at 800 E. 17th Ave. in Columbus, north of the Ohio Expo Center & State Fair.

“We just find this situation is a perfect fit for now,” Fisher said.

Knosh Columbus has been a vendor at Clintonville Farmers’ Market, which was moved to the grounds of the Ohio History Center – the home of the Ohio History Connection and Ohio Village – two years ago to allow for the implementation of safer COVID-19 protocols.

That’s where Fisher found her commercial kitchen.

“I mentioned that I needed kitchen space and they said we have some,” she said.

On a related note, she joined the list of vendors for the market’s return to Clintonville sidewalks April 30.

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Because of her leasing arrangement with the Ohio History Connection, she sells prepared foods in the center’s café and during events at Ohio Village, which opens for the season May 21.

Andrew Hall, senior experience developer for Ohio Village, said that on May 21 and 22, the facility is to be host to a Victorian-era carnival, complete with games of the time, but no rides.

“We bring in entertainment from all across Ohio and neighboring states to put on shows,” Hall said.

Fisher said she occasionally makes heritage recipes for Ohio Village patrons, such as oatmeal pie, election pie and Jenny Lind muffins – named for the 19th-century Swedish opera singer.

Yet her repertoire of baked goods is immense.

A few of her more popular treats include brioche cinnamon rolls with orange cream cheese frosting, double-chocolate chip cookies with white and chocolate chips and bostock – a slice of brioche drizzled with flavored syrup, lined with homemade preserves and covered in frangipane, which is an almond cream.

Born in England to an American father and British mother, Fisher and her family moved to Indiana, where she was raised.

A self-taught cook, she remembers making cookies for her neighbors.

“I just remember feeling a sense of satisfaction about that,” she said.

Fisher has a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture and a master’s degree in education. In Columbus, she worked for several large architectural firms.

In 2008, during the recession, she took on roles in marketing and business development and quickly was getting exhausted with corporate life, she said.

Four years ago, her husband, Jim Dziatkowicz, talked her into starting the bakery.

“I jumped right out of one (profession) and into the other,” said Fisher, 54.

For more information about Knosh Columbus, go to facebook.com/knoshcolumbus.

gseman@thisweeknews.com

@ThisWeekGary

This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Clintonville baker Susan Fisher finds sweet spot at Ohio Village