Honestly, it's just baking. The guy got good at his job through practice, not magic. People baked by feel for centuries before digital scales were a thing. It's not like he was building a rocket ship where every gram counts. His bread probably turned out fine for his customers. We make too big a deal out of precision for everyday stuff sometimes.
Ever try to teach someone your exact method when you work by feel? I had a new guy shadow me and he kept asking for exact weights, but my hands just know the right dough texture. The real skill is knowing how to adjust for a humid day or weaker flour, stuff no scale tells you. That baker's customers came back for his specific bread, not a perfect recipe. Getting good at those little daily fixes matters way more than hitting a number.
But that daily practice is how you build the skill to work without a scale. It's not just about the bread turning out fine, it's about making it truly great every single time. That kind of control is what separates a good baker from a great one.