In the still hours before dawn, when most are sound asleep, Patrick French is already at work, shaping dough in the quiet warmth of Elizabeth Town Bakery Cafe.
French, who is nearing the end of his apprenticeship, has found his rhythm in a craft that demands both rigour and creativity. “Just the whole regimen, like the discipline that takes the getting up early, working long hours, the high pressure, just a mixture of different things,” he explains. That regimen recently led him to represent Tasmania at the prestigious L.A. Judge Award competition, a three-day national event held annually in Sydney and organised by the Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre (AEGIC).
Letter to the Editor
Each year, one baker from every Australian state and one from New Zealand is selected to compete in a gruelling program that includes theory exams, practical tests, and public speaking components. “So this year there were six of us. There was one person from New Zealand, she (Delmari Janse van Rensburg) actually won,” French says. “Over the three days we did eight theory exams, three practical exams and two speaking presentations over two different topics.”
The competition, judged in real-time over the course of the event, demands a blend of technical skill and composure. “The judges follow us around for the whole three days. They see us do all of the three things. They jot down little notes of what we did well, what we didn’t do so well,” he recounts.
The North Coast Post: BSB 633 000 · Account number: 2366 8 9535
To earn his place representing Tasmania, French had to navigate a rigorous selection process. “I had to put in my own expression of interest… but I also had to get nominated by a judge… They needed to put through a nomination for me as well. And then AEGIC… had to go through the candidate and select. So it’s like a three-way selection process.”
Despite the competition’s intensity, French reflects on it as a rewarding experience, not only for the professional recognition but for the camaraderie. “We were with each other for 12 to 14 hours a day… breakfast together, lunch together, dinner together… just talking and getting to know each other, learning from each other.”
At Elizabeth Town Cafe Bakery, French has found a home for his talents and a space for expression. Having begun his career at Coles, he values the independence that comes with working in a smaller, more creative environment. “To be able to work in an independently owned bakery and to make the products that I like to make every day… that’s my highlight of working here.”
French’s love for the craft is evident in the kinds of baked goods he enjoys creating. “I love to make Danish products… and I love to make bread, so sourdough and French baguettes… I just love anything that takes a bit of time and patience.”
The bakery’s commitment to quality is something he believes sets it apart. “Because we are independently owned and we’re a small team… it’s more time, more pressure, gotta make it to a higher degree so people wanna buy it.”
With his apprenticeship finishing in October, French is already eyeing his next challenge—a one-day competition in Sydney called Excellence in Baking. Unlike the L.A. Judge, this event focuses solely on practical skills. “So I just go in and I do my baking and I just get in my zone,” he says.
Even as he looks ahead, French finds joy in the everyday moments: “Handing customers a fresh loaf of bread straight out of the oven… that’s a really cool feeling.”
The drive from his home in Launceston to the bakery, about 45 minutes each way, also offers a kind of quiet reflection. “The weather, scenery changes throughout the year… even when you do it five, six days a week.”
Through his commitment and craft, Patrick French embodies the talent emerging from Tasmania’s young workforce and the success of a Meander Valley bakery that takes pride in creating great products.
