Bexhill Farm Kitchen scoops hat-trick in Britain’s Best Loaf

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Lee Smith, co-owner of Bexhill Farm Kitchen, has won Britain’s Best Loaf for the third time with a white tin loaf.

The competition, sponsored by Rank Hovis, took place on 18 April as part of the Farm Shop & Deli Show. Bakers including Hobbs House Bakery and London hotel The Berkeley competed across five categories, including white, wholegrain, sourdough, innovation and, new for this year, gluten-free. The top loaf in each category then fought it out to be named overall winner.

East Sussex-based Smith had previously won the contest in 2013 and 2014. This year, in addition to winning the white category with the entry that went on to be named Britain’s Best Loaf, Smith triumphed in the sourdough category.

The event was judged by industry experts, including Mike Holling, head of retail at Birds of Derby, and Simon Wooster, technical director at Edme. The panel was headed by Colin Lomax of Rank Hovis.

When asked how it felt to win Britain’s Best Loaf for a third time, Smith said: “It was a difficult competition today. I dropped my bread off this morning and by looking at some of the bread already there, it was clearly a really difficult competition today, so I’m really pleased.”

He added: “It’s good fun. Competitions used to be a big thing in the past in the baking trade. I’ve spoken to a couple of bakers today whom I’ve never met before and, if I didn’t come to these places or enter these competitions, I would never have met these people and I would just be staying in my own bakery not really meeting anybody.”

Click here to see the full interview:

Here is a breakdown of the winner and runner-up in each category:

White:

Winner – Bexhill Farm Kitchen

Highly Commended – Seasons Bakery

Wholegrain:

Winner – The Berkeley Hotel

Highly Commended – Bexhill Farm Kitchen

Sourdough:

Winner – Bexhill Farm Kitchen

Highly Commended – The Berkeley Hotel

Gluten-free: