Calling all baking apprentices, nominations for 2025 Bake Skills Australia are now open.

For more than 30 years Bake Skills Australia has been dedicated to promoting the quality, training and professionalism in the baking industry and fostering a platform where young talent can showcase their skills.

The competition, which was run by the Baking Association of Australia for the first time in 2024, takes place at Fine Food Australia and is divided into Bake Skills Australia National Pastry Chef Championship and the Bake Skills Australia National Baking Championships categories.

Competitors from each state will be chosen by the steering committee, with the process potentially involving a bake-off for the state or region depending on the number of applications received.

Last year Ryan Wu from Eat Cannoli won the Baker competition, while Imogen Fearon from Cerin Pasticceria took out the pastry competition. As part of their prize the duo jetted off to Germany this year to attend iba 2025.

Baking Association of Australia executive officer Tony Smith said the 2025 prize would include something a little different.

“Normally the winners would go to either iba or San Francisco, but this year through the network we have with other associations – so the Craft Bakers in England and the Scottish Baking Association – are going to host the two winners in Europe for a couple of weeks,” he said.

“There they’ll get to see how they make their bread and pies and cakes. It’ll be a bit more in depth than attending a trade show.”

Nomination forms and further information about the competition can be found on the Baking Association of Australia website.