Lovingly Artisan’s Aidan Monks has been crowned Baker of the Year in prestigious industry awards.
Aidan, who co-owns the Kendal-based bakery with Catherine Connor, picked up the award at the Baking Industry Awards in London.
Winners were chosen following months of judging, which included site visits, interviews, and product testing.
It is the second time Aidan has won the award, being named Baker of the Year in 2019.
Aidan said: ‘’It’s a real honour to win this award for the second time. As a baker, I’ve progressed and grown since my last win in 2019.
“But as with any award like this, you’re only as good as the people around you. Ours is a family business and without the help of my family, we wouldn’t be where we are today as a business.
“So, I’d like to say a big thank you to Catherine, Ailish, Niall and Dean for all of their unwavering support along the way.
“In addition, I want to say a huge thank you to every single member of our team for their hard work, and dedication as we work together to put quality, wholesome, healthy breads at the heart of every family table once more.’’
Judges said: ‘’Aidan hasn’t let complacency sink in since taking home the Baker of the Year trophy in 2019. He has maintained a position of being ‘front and centre’ of Cumbria-based bakery Lovingly Artisan, including a hands-on role in production and helping to build relationships with suppliers and customers.
“It was his passion and continuous drive for improvement which saw him secure the title ahead of three other highly talented finalists, with judges lauding his outstanding output, adding that the products were “as usual, very good.”
