Stars of the bread-baking world from across the UK came together in London on Tuesday 11 October 2016 for the much-anticipated announcement of the winner of the Tiptree World Bread Awards with Brook Food. The awards ceremony at St John’s Church, Hyde Park, was hosted by Stephen Hallam, Master Baker, Managing Director of Dickinson & Morris and Chair of the Judges. Agnes Gabriel-Damaz of Gradz Bakery, a Park Royal, West London company was declared as Winner of the Speciality Savoury category – and overall winner of the Awards. They won £1000, a Tiptree hamper and trophy.
Jane Milton, Chair, Park Royal Business Group said: “It is wonderful to get affirmation that the best bread is made in Park Royal. We are very proud of all our food businesses and are delighted that this new brand from Agnes Gabriel -Damaz and her team should be recognised in such a way after just one month on the market. We are sure the recognition will help them catch the eye of both buyers and consumers alike.”
“The field was more competitive than ever,” says Hallam, whose fellow Judges included Frances Quinn, Great British Bake Off, Colin Reese, Master of the Worshipful Company of Bakers and Andrew Whitley, Founder, The Real Bread Campaign.
Agnesbeat off competition from loaves sent in from around the United Kingdom – delivered by courier, taxi and in person on the morning of the judging at Cathedral Hall, Westminster Cathedral, to ensure maximum freshness.
Gradz Bakery was established to make high quality breads made with a real sourdough starter available to a wide audience of food lovers in the UK. They use traditional processes to make their doughs, which mean they are easier for your body to digest. They mix ancient grains such as amaranth and more modern super foods like Spirulina, sour cherries, pumpkin seeds and flax seed to increase the nutritional value.
Breads can be supplied fully baked but unwrapped, sliced and wrapped. They have also developed a way to supply the breads unbaked so that they can be baked in stores or in restaurants and sold fresh.
The Tiptree World Bread Awards, launched in January 2013, seek to celebrate the very best of British bread baking. Entries have more than doubled since then. With 12 million loaves sold in the UK every day, it is an industry whose greatest exponents deserve to be celebrated. “The choice, range and quality of bread in Britain today is immense,” says Caroline Kenyon, Director of the Awards.
