Baked Busselton takes the cake at Statewide awards

Baked Busselton has won top accolades and dominated this year’s Perth Royal Bread and Pastry Awards, winning three gongs. The business won the most successful pastry exhibitor award, the champion pastry exhibit, and the champion cake gong for its cheesecake and other goods. Owner Chris Barton said his team started baking the night before the event, then travelled to Perth for the competition. “I’m pretty proud of the team, and especially our apprentice Eltiah Hemmings,” he said. “She actually made a lot of the stuff — I sort of took a step back and let her do a lot this year. Our super apprentice won gold for her cheesecake, and scored 100 out of 100. “I’m pretty proud of her, to be honest. It’s just good to know that what we do is good.” Mr Barton said he had been in hospitality his whole working life, starting as an apprentice at Miami Bakehouse, and was now at the helm of his successful business. “I got offered an apprenticeship and I took it, and since then, I’ve always been in hospitality,” he said. “It’s good to know that the product we’re putting out is of the highest quality — like you think you’re doing well, but when you get awards like this, you know you’re doing well. “We just like to keep providing top-quality products.” Judge Helen Paton said she was always on the lookout for a “wow” factor . “This year, we’ve had a few of those moments. It’s worth mentioning that the wow factor doesn’t always win gold, and as a judge, you know this bakery will be up and coming,” she said. “I would suggest to all the bread and pastry enthusiasts out there to visit the gold winners — but also don’t miss out the silver and bronze-winning bakeries. You may just walk away with a new favourite.” The judging panel consisted of seven independent experts who assessed more than 160 entries from 19 producers, carefully testing and comparing each product’s taste, texture, aroma and overall quality. Entries were judged and winners were announced on July 24 at the Perth Showgrounds as part of the Perth Royal Food Awards organised by the Royal Agricultural Society of WA.