In this series, British Baker talks to people from across the baking industry to find out about their career path, what their job involves, and the latest trends that are shaping their work.
We’re looking to showcase a diverse range of talent and job types across the industry, so if you’d like to be involved, please email amy.north@wrbm.com
Name: Mary Murphy
Age: 32
Job title: NPD process/test baker
Company and location: Aryzta Bakeries Ireland
Education: Baking & Pastry Arts Management
Tell us about your career to date
My journey in baking began during college, crafting wedding cakes in a specialty decorating business. After graduation, I joined Camerino Bakery – an award-winning scratch bakery renowned for their brownies, traybakes, and special occasion cakes. Starting in the production kitchen, I eventually took charge of their wedding cake division. Three years later, I made the leap to my current role at Aryzta.
Explain your job in a sentence (or two)
At heart, I’m an innovator in the test kitchen. My role involves creating recipes, developing samples, and helping guide operations through the scale-up process to full factory trials. From blue-sky innovation to product improvements and custom briefs, every day brings a new baking challenge.
“Find yourself a mentor and never stop asking questions. The right mentor can compress years of learning into months of guidance”
What does a typical work day involve for you?
Dawn finds me in the kitchen starting the day’s doughs. While they develop in bulk, I tackle the administrative side – completing cost cards and reports. Next comes the careful process of scaling and shaping before products head to the proofer. Between managing proofing times, I bake off samples for internal reviews and NPD line trials. Once samples emerge from the oven, they’re frozen down for future bake-offs. As the day winds down, I’m already writing recipes for tomorrow’s creations.
Tell us about a challenge you have overcome recently
The launch of our premium ‘Crafted by Aryzta’ range pushed the boundaries of our current processes. Moving these artisanal-style products from test kitchen to production was particularly challenging. Success required multiple line trials, countless reviews, and continuous recipe refinements. It took close collaboration across departments, but the end result – a truly premium product range – made it all worthwhile.
What are your career highlights so far?
Creating show-stopping wedding cakes gave me immense pride early in my career. Now, there’s nothing quite like spotting products our team has developed on local supermarket shelves or featured in marketing campaigns. It’s a different kind of satisfaction, but equally rewarding.
What advice would you give to up-and-coming talent in the baking industry
Find yourself a mentor and never stop asking questions. The right mentor can compress years of learning into months of guidance. I was fortunate to work with Bill Powell, an industry expert, when I started at Aryzta. His most valuable lesson? Document everything. When he told me I wouldn’t remember details after a week, I was sceptical – but he was right. It’s a lesson I’ve carried with me ever since.
Interested in a career in bakery? Check out Foodmanjobs for the latest vacancies.
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