Launch of the Scottish Baker of the Year competition 2020
Venue: Harry Gow Bakery, Smithton Industrial Estate, Inverness, IV2 7WL
Date: Wednesday 12th February
Press are invited from 10.00am for a ‘Generation Game’-style bake-off, interviews and a photo call.
Scottish Bakers, the trade association which supports bakers throughout Scotland, is calling on the nation’s bread, pie and pastry lovers to vote for their favourite local baker to help them win a new Customer Choice Award in the Scottish Baker of the Year Competition.
To mark the start of the competition, pupils from Duncan Forbes Primary School and Smithton Primary School are warming up to take part in a ‘Generation Game’-style bake-off.
Current Scottish Baker of the Year, Harry Gow, will host the official launch of the ninth year of the competition with David Gow and couture cake queen, Mich Turner MBE, setting the tasks.
Our two experts will pass on their well-honed skills and industry veteran and head judge of the competition, Robert Ross, will be on hand to assess the contestants efforts and determine if they look good enough to eat.
Our contestants will be attempting to:
- Apply cream filling and icing to a Harry Gow’s famous Dream Ring
- Jam and ice Empire Biscuits
- Cream and jelly a strawberry tart
And the ‘icing on the cake’, the Mich Turner technical challenge will be to buttercream a cupcake to her exacting standards!
The Scottish Baker of the Year Awards is the brainchild of Scottish Bakers, the trade association for bakers in Scotland who decided to search for the best baker in the country in 2012.
Now in its ninth year, the competition celebrates our love of a tasty treat from our local baker and aims to crown just one hard working bakery Scottish Baker of the Year.
“With thousands of pies, scones, loaves, savoury items, morning rolls, individual cakes and biscuits sold in Scotland every day, our bakers work hard to keep us all going,” says Scottish Bakers’ Alasdair Smith.
“The new Customer Choice Award this year is based on real votes from real customers so we urge everyone to vote for their favourite baker; every vote really does count – your local baker could walk off with one of our new awards.”
Harry Gow Goody Bags will be available for all reporters and photographers!
Voting opens on 12th February and runs until 13th March. QR codes and voting forms are available in-store at all participating bakeries or shoppers can vote online at www.bakeroftheyear.scot – voting automatically enters you into a draw to win an Amazon Echo.
Judging day will be 25th March at Carnegie Conference Centre, Halbeath Road, Dunfermline, KY11 8DY.
The winner will be announced at a glittering Gala dinner at the Glasgow Hilton on Saturday 9th May 2020.
A word from our 2019 winner: David Gow, of Harry Gow Bakery: “Back in May 2019, when Mich Turner announced HARRY GOW as Scottish Baker of the Year 2019, the first ever double winner, I simply could not contain the emotions at the huge sense of pride I felt.
“Not just for me, but for my whole family, and everyone who works so hard for the business. We truly are a scratch bakery, making everything fresh and, to know that this is valued by our customers and our peers, is incredible. We have had a great year as champs but now it’s time to pass on the crown, although we still hope to take a few product prizes again this year!!”
How the Scottish Baker of the Year Awards 2020/21 works
Customer Choice Awards:
Customers vote for their favourite baker online via each bakery’s unique web-link, QR code or using the in store paper voting forms, from the 12th February to 13th March 2020.
Paper votes MUST be received by 13th March, any paper votes received after this date may not be counted.
These votes will then determine the winners of the Customer Choice Awards in the four main business categories: Bakery Café – Craft Baker – Retail Craft Baker – Wholesale Baker
The finalists and winners of the customer choice awards will be presented on Friday 8th May 2020 following the announcement of the regional product award winners.
Product judging:
From 12th February bakers can register up to ten of their products that they would like to submit for product judging on 25th March 2020. These must be registered by Friday 13th March.
There are two new categories this year and bread will be split into traditional and sourdough subcategories. The categories for 2020 will be: biscuit, bread: traditional and sourdough, celebration cake, individual cake, morning roll (including special awards for Buttery, French/Danish pastries), savoury, scone (including special award for potato scone) and Free From.
At the close of the voting period we will write to you with instructions on how to submit your products for judging.
The product judging will be held on Wednesday 25th March at the Carnegie Conference Centre, Dunfermline.
Entry fees:
Scottish Bakers members can enter for free.
A fee of £195 +VAT will apply to non-members to participate in the product judging and customer choice vote. If a non-member wishes to submit an entry only to the celebration cake category, a fee of £35+VAT will apply.
Business judging:
Each Scottish Bakers member who achieves a bronze award or above will be eligible to take part in the business judging part of the competition.
The four business categories are: Craft Baker of the Year (three shops or less); Retail Craft Baker of the Year (four shops or more); Wholesale Baker of the Year (no shops) and Bakery Café of the Year for cafés who produce the bulk of their own baked goods either on-site or at a dedicated bakery unit.
The ultimate Scottish Baker of the Year Award will be awarded to one of the four category winners.
Non-members will not be eligible to enter the business judging part of the Scottish Baker of the Year competition
When will the awards be presented:
Regional awards and Customer Choice Awards will be presented on Friday 8th May 2020 and the National Awards (which includes special awards), business category winners and the overall Scottish Baker of the Year 2020/21 will be announced on Saturday 9th May 2020.
Notes for editors:
Scottish Bakers has been supporting and protecting the interests of Scotland’s bakery trade for over 125 years.
Scottish Bakers core purpose is to promote and protect the interests of the trade; representing, advising and supporting all aspects of Scotland’s baking industry to ensure it remains competitive and equipped for growth.
It does this by providing the widest possible range of benefits that help its members sustain and grow their businesses including: skills development, technical information and assistance, competitions, sector intelligence, legal advice, financial discounts, and social and business networking.
Scottish Bakers manages both The World Championship Scotch Pie Awards and The Scottish Baker of the Year Awards each year to recognise and celebrate excellence in the sector.
But most importantly, Scottish Bakers belongs to its members, it is there for their benefit and is proud of its motto, ‘for the good of all’.
With thanks to our awards partner:
Bake North Western Group
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