Peter Taylor is one of the best baker’s in Victoria, but ever humble, he still says his mother is a better cook than him.
Mr Taylor said he decided on a baking career while doing home economics classes at high school and learning to bake cake.
“I eventually became good at it and started making better cakes than the teacher,” he said.
“And then it just clicked … that this is what my career path would be.”
Mr Taylor, 53, has been working at the Hogans Corner Woolworths in Hoppers Crossing for the past 15 years, and working for the supermarket chain for three decades in total.
Each year, in the lead-up to Easter, Woolworths runs a Baker of the Year competition.
The competition compares the hot cross buns made by its in-store bakers across the nation, with the judging criteria including general appearance, volume, weight, crust colour, texture, crumb colour and aroma of the tasty treats.
Mr Taylor has been a competition state finalist for the past two years.
He took part in this year’s national finals last Thursday.
Mr Taylor said he was “very proud and humble at the same time to be nominated again for Victoria”.
He said he loved his job because he enjoyed customer service and receiving positive feedback when customers liked his baked goods.
“The challenge is to be able to keep up with the high standards,” he said.
“[It’s] just taking care while baking, to provide the best product to the customers.
“The ‘would you buy it?’ principle applies all the time.”
