Luke Rosemergy from Breadcraft in Masterton. PHOTO/EMILY NORMAN
EMILY NORMAN
Masterton’s Luke Rosemergy has worked his way up the ranks at Breadcraft.
And after winning $5000 as the 2017 Young Bread Baker of the Year runner-up, he’s got plenty of dough to play with to continue upping his skills.
Mr Rosmergy, 26, started working at Breadcraft part time when he was a 16-year-old Wairarapa College student.
“I did about two years part time just working Sundays, and after I left college I started here full time.
“I’ve probably been full time about eight years so far,” he said.
Now, Mr Rosemergy is the supervisor of two crews at Breadcraft and hopes to one day be plant manager.
“The first crew I supervise is a tortilla crew.
“We make somewhere around 30,000 tortillas a week for KFC, McDonalds, Burger King, Carls Jnr, Subway around the whole of New Zealand.
“My second crew makes pitas, ciabatta bread, artisan breads, buns, square wraps, pizza bases, flat breads, so the second crew has a lot of variety.”
Earlier this year Mr Rosemergy was entered into the 2017 Young Baker of the Year competition, where he had to demonstrate his ability in three areas: a five-hour practical baking exercise, a 90-minute exam which tests theoretical knowledge of baking technology, and a presentation on a given research topic.
With the $5000 prize money, Mr Rosemergy is planning to visit a tortilla plant and some enzyme facilities in America.
“A lot of people when they think baking, they think you just chuck the ingredients in, but when it comes to plant baking, you learn a lot more about the science of it, about enzymes, emulsifyers, oxidising agents, how they all work together.
“There’s a lot more to it than people think.”
Mr Rosemergy said he felt lucky working at Breadcraft, which he said employed about 80 people.
“Breadcraft is really good to people.
“If you put yourself forward and show you want to learn, they are really good at helping you reach your goals.”
Along with coming runner-up in the 2017 Young Bread Baker of the Year competition, Mr Rosemergy has previously come first in Apprentice of the Year, and second place the year after.
