After dreaming that she’d one day own her own baking mixer and Googling said item just days earlier, fourth year Inverness Professional Cookery student Tetiana Potapko has done just that.
The Ukrainian-born student fled her home country last year and was forced to leave her dad behind as she, her mother and two sisters relocated to Aviemore last August.
To continue her studies, Tatiana had to move to Inverness at the start of this year, picking up from her Food Technologies course she had started in Ukraine.
While she has faced many challenges, she was delighted to have won a Kenwood mixer at a cake decorating competition which helped launch the Scottish Baker of the Year Awards.
Tetiana also celebrates her 20th birthday in two days time and said it was the perfect gift. She’s also planning on tucking into the cake when her mum and sisters arrive in the city this weekend.
The winning cake
Decorating her cake with a hand molded Nessie and hand painted flower detailing, Tetiana, who used to work as a confectioner in Ukraine at her parent’s business, impressed the judges with her creativity, innovation and skills.
She was overwhelmed at winning and was presented with her new baking equipment by Mich Turner MBE who founded Little Venice Cake Company, who also signed a copy of her latest cookbook for every student.
“I was looking on internet to buy a mixer because but I don’t have enough money for one,” said Tetiana. “I really, really liked this mixer and almost purchased it, but it was so expensive. When I was told this was my prize I couldn’t believe it. I was almost crying.
“I changed my design a few days ago as I was going to include whisky in the design, but I found out that wasn’t allowed. I made the flowers once in class and the Loch Ness monster I tried for the first time a few days ago.
“45 minutes is not long and everyone had some great designs. I just wish everyone could have won a prize.”
Tetiana went head-to-head with six other University of the Highlands and Islands students’ in the competition at the Inverness campus which was organised by Scottish Bakers.
The culinary students were tasked with decorating a bake with the theme ‘Scotland on a cake’ in mind, many of whom used Nessie, Highland cows, saltires and thistles to illustrate their bakes.
The competitors included:
Level 4 Professional Cookery
- Leah Scott – Nessie on a saltire
- Jaimie Walker – bold saltire
- Tetiana Potapko – Nessie in a tam-o-shanter with detailed hand painted heather
Level 5 Professional Cookery
- Ashley Chapman – bold Highland cow
Level 6 Professional Cookery
- Louise Robertson – Highland cow with thistle
HNC Hospitality Operations
- Lorraine Wormald – a man feeding Nessie
Judges watched on for 45 minutes as the students decorated and presented their cakes. They were able to call upon Scottish Baker of the Year, Paddy Murphy from The Three Little Bakers in Inverness, and from Scottish Bakers, president and director of McGhees Bakery, Ian McGhee for advice.
The Scottish Baker of the Year Awards celebrate the best of Scottish baking.
The Customer Choice awards winners are dictated by shoppers who will vote for their favourite bakeries in the Craft Baker, Retail Craft Baker, Wholesale Baker and Bakery Café category.
Product-focused categories include Biscuit, Bread: traditional & sourdough, Celebration Cake, Individual Cake, Morning Roll, Butteries, French/Danish pastries, Savoury, Scone (including special award for potato scone) and Free From.
The four business categories are Craft Baker of the Year, Retail Craft Baker of the Year, Wholesale Baker of the Year and Bakery Café of the Year.
The ultimate Scottish Baker of the Year Award will be awarded to one of the four category winners.
Voting for the awards opens today and will close on April 5. Shoppers can vote online at www.bakeroftheyear.scot
The judging day for product categories will take place in Dunfermline on March 15 and the winner will be announced at a glittering gala dinner at the Glasgow Hilton on Saturday May 6.
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