Young bakers at Prior’s Court will soon be learning new techniques imported from one of Europe’s finest culinary schools, via our own on-site baker.

Prior’s Court’s Bakery Supervisor Scott Thompson spent a week in July at the Richemont Centre of Excellence in Lucerne, Switzerland, on a bread and confectionary course.

Scott was supported by a long-term supporter of our industry-standard, on-site bakery, Henry Jeffries, to apply for the course and out of more than 40 applicants, Scott was one of 15 to be successful.

Some of the topics explored during the course included:

• two days of bakery, bread and sweet doughs, the science behind them and different methods used including some Swiss products.
• two days of confectionary, making every element of a product. This included working with chocolate, shaping and moulding, making creams, glazes and toppings.
• and finally making products for a final night buffet-style pudding for all staff and students on the course.  

Scott said: “I had an amazing time with the other students on the course. It was great to network with other bakers in similar fields to me and see the variety of roles there are in the bakery industry.

“Looking ahead to the next academic year in September, I want to pass on these new skills. So teaching the young bakers we have some of the methods I have learnt, using the recipes and techniques to do so. But before that, I’ll need to look at adapting the recipes myself as a lot of them contain nuts as Prior’s Court is a nut-free site.

“It was great to be in such a cutting-edge environment and being able to learn so much from everyone around me there.”

Scott's participation in the course was fully funded by The Worshipful Company of Bakers.

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