The hunt is on to find the recipient of ‘Outstanding Contribution to the Baking Industry’ for 2023.
Part of the Baking Industry Awards, which take place on Tuesday 7 November at the Royal Lancaster in London, the award seeks to recognise someone who has truly made their mark on bakery.
Sponsored by Dèlifrance, the accolade offers British Baker readers the chance to nominate an outstanding individual – someone who has gone above and beyond the boundaries of their paid salary or ownership and has made, or still is making, a special contribution to bakery.
This person will support and encourage others within the sector, and possibly outside of it as well.
It’s an opportunity for you to honour the inspirational people in the bakery community who consistently strive to make the sector such a wonderful place to be. Tell us about their career highlights and standout achievements so we can surprise them on the night.
“This individual might be your boss, your colleague, mentor, or friend. They’ll be someone that works to make the baking industry better, not just for themselves but for future generations,” said British Baker editor Amy North.
“We want to hear from you, so be sure to nominate your unsung heroes to help them get the recognition they deserve.”
Know someone that fits this description? The nomination process is simple and easy, so why wait? Be sure to nominate them via our dedicated website before entries close on Friday 5 May.
Here’s a snapshot of some of our previous winners:
André Sarafilovic, Stephens Bakery
André has enjoyed a long and illustrious career, offering his services to various trade bodies and organisations as well as running a hugely successful business and creating a charity to help give back to the local community. He is described as a trailblazer at Stephens, having grown the business from a few shops in Dumferline to a much larger one with 13 shops and over 160 convenience partnerships with Co-op, Scotmid, McColl’s and independents.
Neil Woods, Craft Bakers Association (CBA)
Neil has had a distinguished 60-year career in the baking industry, including work at various craft bakeries as well as an in-store bakery manager in his hometown of Bradford. He spent time at Renshaw as a technical sales demonstrator before joining Ireks Arkady, where he remained for 33 years. He also dedicated time to many trade associations – including the CBA, where he is currently president – and even leant a hand at judging various competitions for British Baker including Britain’s Best Loaf.
Dawn Gemmell, University College Birmingham (UCB)
Dawn’s boundless enthusiasm, ability to inspire others, and incredible knowledge helped her land the award in 2017. Prior to her retirement that year, she was assistant dean at the College of Food (Bakery) at UCB but had also gained commercial experience with several businesses during her nearly 40-year career in the industry. Other career highlights include working alongside the Worshipful Company of Bakers, becoming part of the livery in 2008, and making celebration cakes for three generations of the royal family.
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