Aidan Monks, co-owner of Altrincham bakery Lovingly Artisan, has been named Baker of the Year at the Baking Industry Awards (BIA).
Monks, whose bakery also has outlets in Manchester and Kendal, collected his award at a black-tie ceremony at the Royal Lancaster in London last night.
Each of the category winners were chosen following months of judging which included site visits, interviews and product testing.
Over 500 people attended the event, which was hosted by DJ and TV presenter Scott Mills.
Remarking on Monks's win, the second time he has won the title, the 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'."
Monks added: "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.’’
