Baking Business chats to Chloe Murray from Woolworths Kirkwook, who was thrilled to be awarded the LA Judge award for baking apprentice of the year.

Tell us a little bit about yourself:

I’m 22, born and raised in Gladstone Queensland. I started my apprenticeship in October 2020. I’ve been doing my practical modules down in Brisbane at BITA and have been really enjoying it.

How did you get into baking?

I always had an interest in the food industry and while I was looking for a career to get into, I saw Woolworths do a baking apprenticeship. I was straight onto the bakery manager and store manager begging them to let me be the next apprentice for the store.

How did it feel to win the L.A Judge Award?

It felt crazy, I could barely believe it. I thought it could’ve been any one of us.

How tough was the competition itself?

I found the competition to be very tough. We were all thrown into using equipment we’ve never used before and theory papers with questions I’m now eager to learn the answers to. Those couple of days were packed with stress, nerves and fun.

What did you do to prepare (if anything)?

I had Stuart Evans from Allied Pinnacle come up to my home town to help prepare me for the competition. Especially helping me with being able to present a speech because I find public speaking pretty scary.

Your prize is a one-week all-expenses-paid trip to Belgium to visit the Puratos headquarters; are you excited?

I’m so excited, I’ve never been overseas before so this is an amazing opportunity.

What do you hope to get out of the trip?

I have an interest in sourdoughs so the whole experience they are giving me is going to be extremely rewarding.

What are your future career hopes?

Way in the future I’d like to start my own small sourdough business in my hometown.