Meet the Rising Star Award 2021 finalists

Meet the future of the baking industry as British Baker reveals the three individuals who have been shortlisted for this prestigious award.

Judges of this category, which is sponsored by Rondo, look for individuals who are helping to shape the future of the baking industry and driving developments along the way.

Here are the finalists for the Rising Star Award 2021:

Amelia Levick, Sheffield College

Amelia is a student at Sheffield College, where she is studying for a Foundation Degree Level 5 in Bakery and Patisserie. She has known, since the age of seven, that she wanted to have a career in bakery and, in the face of many setbacks, has been single-minded in her ambition to follow this dream. The judges were thoroughly impressed with Amelia’s drive and passion. “For me baking isn’t just a hobby; it’s not just a career; it’s who I am as a person,” she explains, crediting her lecturers for inspiring her daily.

Matthew McGrath, Ultrapharm

The judges said Matthew “really knew his stuff” and was unflappable when questioned about gluten-free bakery product development during his interview. Matthew works as a new product development technologist at Ultrapharm in Pontypool – a gluten-free bakery which is part of the Finsbury Food Group. He is currently undertaking a Level 4 Diploma in Leadership and Management delivered by City & Guilds Institute of Leadership and Management and is a graduate in food and nutrition from Sheffield Hallam University. Matthew’s ambition is to build up his knowledge of the gluten-free functionality of different ingredients so that he can take on a wider strategic role within Finsbury Food Group.

William Leet, David Wood Baking

The list of what William has achieved within his first few years working in bakery is a terrific example of what a career in bakery can deliver for anyone who chooses this sector as a career, said the judges. For William, who left the army suffering with PTSD, bakery has been a lifesaver. He says he is utterly absorbed by the science of baking and wants to continually push himself to develop his skills and go as far as possible at David Wood Baking where he is employed as a bakery development technician. “It gives me so much joy creating new bakery products and processes,” he reports. This is the second time William has been shortlisted for this award.