With an extensive baking career that spans business management, baking and most recently teaching, Scott Townsend remains as passionate about the baking industry as ever. Baking Business caught up with him to find out what it is that he loves so much about the industry.

You’ve been baking for almost 30 years. What first drew you to the industry?

When I was younger I had asthma a lot, for which I would be in hospital for weeks at a time. As soon as I was getting a bit better, I would go into the kitchens and watch the chefs cook.

They would always give me ice cream. My mum would come to pick me up and I wouldn’t want to go back home. I also remember from an early age my nanna would bake all the grandkids any cake they wanted every Saturday. It was all our favourite day of the week – we could choose any cake.

What do you love most about your work?

I love everything about my work, but mostly watching the apprentices grow and get better throughout their years.

Helping students who want to compete and go into competitions is amazing. These students don’t realise how much they improve during these competitions. They always talk about their improvement and how much they have enjoyed it in the months after they win -or don’t win. They take so much out of it.

Scott in one of his many roles.

When and why did you decide to become a teacher?

Six years ago I meet my fellow work colleague to have a coffee and he asked me if I had ever considered teaching. I said no, to which he said I should.

We met a few weeks later and I said “it’s not for me, thank you for the offer”, and he asked me why. I said I didn’t think teaching was for me, to which his reply was “you already go around bakeries and teach apprentices at your work”, and it hit me – I do.

So, I started teaching one day a week and it was amazing. I loved it. After a few years of part-time work I was offered full time work, which I took as I love doing it.

Can you share your career progression with us?

I always had a passion for food, so I started off at Woolworth’s deli in Upper Burnie [Tasmania]. After a while I realised it wasn’t what I wanted to do. There was an advertisement in the paper for a job in Sydney travelling all over Australia. Being 17 I thought “wow, that is for me”. I packed up and moved to Sydney.

This was with a food van company and, after working seven-days-a-week and long hours, one year later I got homesick and moved back home.  Not long after I moved back my parents moved to St Helens, so I moved with them.

I landed my first job that I loved in a restaurant called Castles Seafood Restaurants. It was the first job I loved doing. It was a fun environment and I loved the food we were producing. After a while I was spending a lot of time awake of a night and thought “imagine if I could work nights”. So, I moved to Launceston and got my first job baking at Bakers Dozen.

It was long nights and I loved it. I spent nearly seven years there and never thought of leaving until one day I was approached from the owner of Trevallyn Gourmet Bakery asking if I would like to work for him.

I thought it was a great opportunity and accepted the job. It was – and still is – one of the best places I have worked in a bakery, but after six years I was starting to want a change in my hours. I went to Mowbray Bakers Delight to work.

After a year-and-a-half I realised working days meant traffic and not a lot of daytime spare time. My wife and I decided to pack, as we had always wanted to retire in Shearwater, so why not now? We had planned to have three months off, but after three weeks I wanted to go back to work.

I called up a few bakeries and had a lot of offers. Spreyton bakery seemed the best fit for me. Again it was a great experience to be somewhere new and doing different things. It was nice to run all the production. I had done this at Trevally, but with the help of the owner. But after six-and-a-half years I was approached to manage a new bakery opening in Latrobe.

I thought this would be a great opportunity to run a bakery, so I took the job. But after a year we realised the current oven wasn’t fit for purpose, so I moved to the owner’s other bakery, Hennessey’s, in Devonport.

I worked between their stores in Devonport and Shearwater and helped start the store in Ulverstone. I worked there for a long time but eventually went full time with TasTAFE, where I am currently working.

What have been some of your career highlights? And have you had any challenges that you’ve had to overcome?

It would definitely be working at Trevally, and we won the Tasmanian Baking Award three years in a row.

Back then the competition was very competitive and to win three times in a row was a great achievement for all of us.

After managing Latrobe Bakery, I just wanted to stack shelves or work in a bottle shop for the first time in my life. I felt like I couldn’t give anymore to baking – I just wanted a change. Luckily the owner talked me into still working in his other stores, as I was there for many years and enjoyed every minute.

Scott Townsend onsite with an apprentice (left)

What key piece of advice would you give to an apprentice just starting out?

If you make a mistake learn from it and check what you did wrong. Don’t be scared to ask what you did wrong if you don’t understand. Don’t be scared to contact your TAFE teacher about any advice – that’s what we are for.

What’s up next for you?

Helping the apprentices in lots of competitions. The LA Judge has just wrapped up, which was a great experience. We didn’t place this year, but our contestant did exceptionally well. Next we have WorldSkills state competition in Hobart in July. Also Bake Skills and Baking Excellence, which we are heavily involved in helping the apprentice train and get ready. Also judging for the Tasmania bakery show, which is always a big event.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

I would just like to encourage people to do an apprenticeship you are never too old. People who have been baking for a long time always tell us how much they have gotten from it, which is always great.

Also young people: don’t be scared of trying go to a bakery and asking if you can do some work experience to see if you like it. You will be surprised how rewarding it is.