Carla Penza has had a huge few years, after taking out the Bake Skills competition in 2023 and the Sydney J Packham Baking Industry Medal this year. Baking Business caught up with Carla to hear about the experience.

Tell us about yourself?

I’m 24-years-old, I’m from NSW and I work at the Gumnut Patisserie as a qualified pastry cook.

When did you first enter the baking industry? Why?

I first entered the baking industry in 2020. Prior to 2020 I participated in work experience where I was lucky enough to work in a patisserie for a week and that’s where I fell in love with the work. Eager to work, I was lucky enough to have been offered a job out the front serving customers. Soon enough my enthusiasm and passion had landed me an apprenticeship and I have never looked back.

How were the early days of your apprenticeship?

They were quite different to where I am now. I started my apprenticeship elsewhere, making lots and lots of neenish and pineapple tarts and piping lots of lemon meringue pies and decorating the occasional cake or two. While my skills were developing, I still felt there was more to the trade and set out to find a new challenge.

You recently won the Sydney J Packham Baking Industry Medal. Can you share about the competition experience?

Of course! This competition was slightly different to my previous competitions as it was a written entry. The Sydney J Packham award is open to anyone under the age of 25, whether you are an apprentice or not. Essentially it is 10 major questions that are further broken down into smaller questions and topics. The topics range from industry knowledge, to history, product knowledge with the choice to major in either cake, pastry and chocolate or bread and yeast products. If you are lucky enough to be one of the regional winners you win the regional prize, which is a four- or five-day trip that includes pastry tours, the ASB conference and gala dinner. It was a great experience.

What was it like to take home the national prize?

Unbelievable. It was definitely something I wasn’t expecting, especially being my first year entering and being up against a few people that had entered in the previous years.

Where do you see yourself in the industry in the future?

I am the type of person that is always up for a challenge so I am sure there is another competition or scholarship that I can enter. I would also really like to delve deeper into chocolate and sugar and taking the opportunities that come with those skills.

What’s your favourite thing to make?

I really enjoy making our vanilla slice. It is one of our bestselling products and something that my boss, Tracy [Nickl] is so proud to make. I am so lucky that he trusts me to make it when he is out of the kitchen.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

I would really like to encourage anyone in the industry that is thinking of entering one of these scholarships—or thinking of entering any competition—to do it. It is such an experience and the skills that you develop from just competing will carry you throughout your career. Not to mention the people that you meet along the way. There are so many opportunities in our industry, you just need to know where to look and it starts with simply giving it a go.