Wu Tzu-ching (武子靖), a 25-year-old baker from Greater Kaohsiung, won a special award in the sweet bread category at a world bread baking contest in Saint Etienne, France, on Sunday.
Fifteen teams from 15 countries battled it out for top honors at the World of Bread (Mondial du Pain) contest organized by the French association Ambassadors of Bread (Ambassadeurs du Pain).
Wu and his 19-year-old assistant were the only Taiwanese bakers in the competition.
Photo: CNA
“The prize came as a surprise to me,” he said in an interview. “I was not supposed to win any awards. I simply took great pleasure in representing Taiwan in an international contest to offer the world a glimpse into the capabilities of Taiwanese bakers to make fine quality bread.”
Chang Ming-hsu (張明旭), director of National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality and Tourism’s baking technology and management department, was a judge in the competition.
He said Wu’s win carried special significance because it symbolized the ability of Taiwanese bakers to make quality bread with flavors that catered to world-class foodies.
Chang said Taiwanese bakers usually only excel at baking because they are very diligent.
“However, they tend to be relatively weak in preparing innovative or especially appealing flavors. The fact Wu won the special award represents a recognition of his efforts to improve bread flavors,” Chang said.
After the award presentation ceremony, a Belgian judge expressed his admiration for Wu for his achievements in making tasty bread with fascinating flavors.
Chang said he hoped Taiwanese bakers would continue to work harder to nurture their creative and international visions.
“In addition to having remarkable baking skills to make aesthetically shaped bread, they should pay equal attention to improving flavors,” he said.
Wu served as an assistant to renowned Taiwanese baker Wu Pao-chun (吳寶春) when he won the title of Master Baker in the bread category at the Bakery World Cup held in Paris in March last year.
In the sweet bread category, contestants were required to prepare two styles of traditional French bread — croissant and brioche — in three different flavors each. One of Wu Tzu-ching’s entries was shaped like a butterfly.
“Master Wu Pao-chun once said he hoped Taiwanese bakers would make butterfly-shaped bread when they participated in overseas contests to let the world know Taiwan has a myriad of butterfly species,” Wu Tzu-ching said.
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