It鈥檚 not just Jessica Dalton鈥檚 amazing cakes and bakes that are on the rise, while UCB College of Food Assistant Dean Dawn Gemmell can whisk off on her retirement as an official inspiration to others over the sweetest of careers.
Jessica, a BSc Bakery and Patisserie Technology student, won听The Rising Star Award听at last night鈥檚 national Baking Industry Awards 鈥� the industry鈥檚 equivalent of the Oscars.
Dawn, who has made and presented celebration cakes to three generations of the Royal family, took home the听Outstanding Contribution to the Baking Industry听补肠肠辞濒补诲别.
Both received their awards from TV and stage star Denise Van Outen in front of more than 700 industry guests at a Wild West-themed ceremony at Mayfair鈥檚 London Hilton.
Pie鈥檚 the limit
The pie鈥檚 now the limit for brilliant apprentice baker Jessica, aged 21, who has been invited on a trip to Switzerland by awards sponsor Rondo and, on the back of her win, secured work placements with some of the biggest names in the industry.
鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 expecting to win and was so shocked when they read out my name, completely overwhelmed,鈥� said Jessica, who has make chocolates for听Sophie, Countess of Wessex, and won The Bakery Trainee Challenge and The British Society of Baking Trophy at this year鈥檚听听awards (ABST).
Samantha Dowle, also an Assistant Dean of UCB鈥檚 College of Food (Bakery), said Jessica had what it took to make it big in the industry.
鈥淛ess is not only a gifted baker, but is tenacious, from finding work placements to engaging on social media,鈥� she said. 鈥淪tudents have the jigsaw pieces, but don鈥檛 necessarily know how to piece it all together without the picture on the box.
鈥淛ess, however, sees the bigger picture and is proactive in creating opportunities. We are immensely proud of her, as we are of fellow UCB student Megan Roberts, who also made the finals in the Rising Star category.鈥�
Having studied bakery at Level 1 at 爆料王, Jessica has worked her way up through all the levels to a degree. She now works in the bakery at the University, with stints at craft bakeries and Bettys of Harrogate.
Her ultimate goal is to teach and inspire the next generation of bakers, following in the footsteps of mentor and lecturer Dawn.听
