A young London woman, who has just secured her first full-time job in the baking industry after graduating from university, has been crowned The Rising Star at the Baking Industry Awards 2016 – the industry’s equivalent of the Oscars.

Claire Toynton of West Ealing, who has just gained a First in her Baking Technology Management degree at London’s South Bank University, beat off stiff competition from the best of the British baking industry to capture the award.

She is now starting work as a Bakery Technologist at Delfrance UK which supplies breads, patisseries, viennoiserie, brioche and savouries to the foodservice and retail markets.

Her achievement was recognised in front of more than 800 industry guests at London’s Park Lane Hilton during a gala awards ceremony with the theme of the Moulin Rouge. The competition is run by British Baker Magazine and organised by William Reed Business Media.

Claire was presented with the award by Matt Dawson, television celebrity and a member of England’s 2003 World Cup winning rugby union team, and Piero Scacco, a legendary baker who personally sponsored the award. He was himself the BIA Baker of the Year in 2008 and received the award for Outstanding Contribution to the Baking Industry in 2013.

Claire got herself noticed in the industry by volunteering for visits and internships to millers, ingredient companies, bakers and patissieres, and by being really determined to improve all her skills.

“I’ve been fully involved in product development including trials and planning for launches with major retailers,” said Claire. 

"The Craft Bakers, ABST and Worshipful Co of Bakers all helped me make visits or do internships at flour mills - Greenhalgh's, British Bakels, Zeelandia, Dunns Bakery, Truffles, Weinholts, Slatterys and M&B Sugarpaste.

“I also travelled to Holland for a two-week internship with Tromp engineering and worked one day a week at London Bread & Cake.

"In addition, I worked for a year with bakery consultant, Simon Atkins, getting involved with new product development and bakery teaching.

“During university, I was accredited with STEMNET - science, technology, engineering and maths network - and volunteered for them to go into schools and teach children about bakery.”

Now in their 29th year, the annual Baking Industry Awards are the premier event in the UK bakery calendar and have been recognising industry excellence since 1987.

Prizes are awarded across ten categories including Speciality Bread Product, Celebration Cake Business and Bakery Manufacturer of the Year.

Ellie Woollven, acting editor of British Baker Magazine, said: “This competition represents the very pinnacle of baking distinction and the finalists have to be of international standard in their craft to even be considered for an award. Once again, this is an historic day for British baking.”