From Sydney to Singapore, Australian baker Mike Fleming has spent over six decades kneading, mixing, and mentoring his way across continents. Now semi-retired, he’s swapped lamingtons for mooncakes and built a second home in Asia’s ovens, shaping not just dough, but the future of baking education.

Australian baker Michael Fleming, also known as Mike, first started in the industry at the young age of 15. Working as an apprentice pastry chef at Earlwood, Sydney, Mike refined his technical skills and gained a passion for the construction process rather than the end result.

As a young boy, the baking industry was a foreign world to him albeit visiting the local shops for a meat pie. His father occasionally made scones during the war time, and his mother made the rare cake. It was spending Friday afternoons with his neighbour as she rolled dough on floury kitchen tops that inspired Mike.

Starting his career in the 1960s, the industry had a simpler approach based on traditional techniques and baked goods. Mike, alongside his peers, saw potential for the Australian baking scene to grow. Travelling the world was one way Mike sought to expand the Australian industry, often exploring other countries and bringing home the knowledge he’d learned. In August 1967 he embarked on a journey to England.

Mike teaching in Malaysia

“When I went over there, I worked at the Kenco company. Then I worked for another place called The Fleur de Lys Patisserie,” Mike said.

“There was so much learning there.”

He then worked as pastry chef in Glasgow before returning to Australia in 1969. With a dream of opening his own bakery, Mike bought and operated Carolyn Cakes in 1972 in the Sydney suburb of Croydon Park until 1980. During his Carolyn Cake years, Mike slowly shifted his focus to the education sector.

“I began as a Pastry Instructor with TAFE at the School of Tourism and Hospitality in New South Wales in 1979,” Mike said.

During these years he kept busy in the baking industry as well, with the notable milestone of leading the judging panel of the very first Great Aussie Pie contest. Now a nationally recognised competition, it was Mike who helped set the standard alongside Craig Perry for the criteria of a great pie.

After a flourishing career in Europe and Australia, Mike was ready for something new. It was a phone call from a friend that sparked his Singapore adventure.

“A colleague called me and said ‘Look, did you see Saturday’s Sydney Morning Herald on the weekend? There’s a job in there just for you. It’s a position in Singapore as the Principal / Master Trainer to establish a Bakery Training Centre. You have the qualifications, you should go for it’,” Mike said.

It is now decades ago that Mike made the leap from Australia to Asia, and he has never looked back. What started as a job opportunity grew into a lifelong mission: to elevate baking education and share knowledge wherever he could.

At Singapore’s Baking Industry Training Centre (BITC), Mike became a key figure in overhauling the local baking curriculum.

“The baking education there at the time did not provide the basic knowledge and skill necessary,” Mike said.

One of his proudest contributions was a foundational course simply titled Baking Principles. It included just four lessons covering bread, cake, and pastry—but it quickly drew attention.

A bread moulding lesson

“These [lessons] attracted many people who did not work in bakeries but saw potential to learn and start a home-based business.”

Mike’s philosophy is simple: baking isn’t just about following a recipe—it’s about understanding why things work.

“My passion is in giving people a solid foundation in baking. From this, they can build and develop,” he said.

Even now, he fields baking questions via email and Facebook, responding with generous technical detail.

“Still to this day I get questions,” he said.

“My belief is that knowledge needs to be shared and when sharing, you provide all the necessary detail as they need this to learn correctly.”

That ethos is evident into his book, Baking in Asia, a reflective memoir-meets-textbook exploring his career, travels, and the regional flavours that have inspired him.

“I wanted to write about what I have done in the baking industry, for a personal reflection and trust that my family will read and learn about why I have been so passionate about baking,” Mike said.

His latest book, Baking for Non-Bakers published at the end of 2024 delved into an entry level read for bakers who are only at the beginning of their journey. He’s not done writing either. One more book is in the works, tentatively titled The Reason Why, which explores the cultural context behind baking traditions from East and West. With his collection of publications, Mike hopes to continue to educate bakers in the years to come.

Giving back is a key motivator that drives Mike. Whether training new bakers pro bono or advising on curriculum development, Mike believes in investing in people.

“Life is like a bank account. If you do not put anything in then you can’t take anything out,” he said, quoting his grandmother.

“Baking has given me so much joy and pleasure along with heartaches and it is information that is of no use if I do not pass it on.”

His influence has rippled throughout the region—starting careers and modernising training.

Despite his deep roots in Singapore, Mike still considers himself an Aussie at heart.

“I miss a good meat pie and always make a line for bakeries when I am back to sample a good product,” he laughed.

For young bakers thinking of heading overseas, he offers this advice: “Look for opportunities that can advance your career. Take time to learn the product range of the company. Keep your head down and watch and listen before you start giving advice. Always keep an open mind as you can learn from everyone.”

So, what’s the biggest lesson baking has taught Mike after six decades in the industry?

He doesn’t hesitate: “Paying attention to the detail. Watch what you are doing, listen to the mixer, and finally, temperature control. Focus on these and you will succeed—after you have practiced, practiced, and practiced.”