Amy North, Editor, British Baker

Amy is responsible for leading and developing all aspects of British Baker’s editorial coverage, from breaking news to in-depth features and analyses covering businesses of all sizes including bakery’s major players and artisanal outlets. She has more than a decade of experience as a journalist, seven years of which have been spent at British Baker. She has a great appreciation of all bakery items from the nostalgia-inducing Blobby biscuits to deep-filled doughnuts (earning her the nickname the ‘Duchess of Doughnuts’).

Bertie Matthews, Managing Director, Matthews Cotswold Flour

Bertie Matthews, Managing Director of Matthews Cotswold Flour, Britain’s number one artisan flour producer, is a huge advocate of regenerative farming. He believes it is the duty of food producers to move to a regenerative sourcing model and play their part in putting these products into the reach of consumers.

Clare Barton, Owner & Head Baker, Bakehouse 124

Clare Barton is the owner and head baker of the Bakehouse at 124. After studying an Advanced Diploma in Baking at the School of Artisan Food, Clare set up the Bakehouse in her hometown of Tonbridge, Kent in 2015. Since opening, the business has grown from strength to strength winning an impressive award tally including Great Taste Awards, Tiptree World Bread Awards and most recently best Food and Drink Retailer by Kent Life Magazine. Clare is one of only 21 Real Bread Campaign Ambassadors in the world and during “normal times” loves holding baking classes in her open plan bakery.

Dan Riley, Deputy Editor, British Baker

While still relatively new to the baking industry, Dan brings more than 15 years of professional writing experience to his latest role on the British Baker editorial team. In addition to his news articles and long-read features, he has also helped enhance the digital content of the publication with his graphic design and video editing skills, contributing to its rise in readership and engagement across various channels.

Dennis Everaers, Senior Bakery & Process Technologist, Rademaker

Dennis Everaers is the son of a baker and grew up in a bakery. He has been working at Rademaker for 23 years, starting as a travelling technologist and test baker. In this role, he helped customers worldwide set up their production lines. He then spent five years as the manager of the Technology Center before moving into the commercial side, where he created layouts and processes for customers. Translating customer products into Rademaker production lines, with the right bakery processes, was his daily work.

In 2015, he founded the Rademaker Academy, which has since grown into a full-scale training centre. Today, a dedicated team provides technical and technological training to both customers and colleagues. Now, Dennis is a Senior Bakery & Process Technologist in the Core Team Bread. His speciality? Bread in all its forms. He focuses entirely on developing and optimising Rademaker’s bread production lines.

Gareth Edwards, Craft and Speciality Bakery Division, ADM

Gareth Edwards' passion for the bakery industry ignited at Cardiff Bakery College. His early career saw him honing his skills in artisan bakeries before transitioning to instore bakery roles. Gareth's journey with ADM Milling began in the commercial division, and over the past 29 years, he has held various positions within the company. Currently, as the Head of Sales for the Craft and Speciality Bakery division, Gareth collaborates closely with his Technical and Marketing colleagues to bring innovative ideas to market. He firmly believes that success stems from a dedicated team willing to go the extra mile and the use of quality ingredients.

John Foster MBE, National President, Craft Bakers Association

John Foster MBE DL has been baking for over 50 years, having grown up in the family baking business. He now runs a successful wholesale bread bakery in Yorkshire and serves as the National President of the Craft Bakers Association. With experience baking in bakeries around the world, John is highly qualified in various aspects of the craft. In recognition of his contributions to the food industry, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Sheffield Hallam University where he occasionally lectures on food-related topics. John has extensive experience judging bakery products, bringing decades of expertise to the evaluation of quality and craftsmanship.

John Lamper, Bakery Specialist - ISB, Tesco

John started his career as a baker at Sainsbury’s when he was 17 and went on to spend 28 years at the retailer covering various bakery specialist roles both regionally and nationally. In 2018 John joined Tesco as their bakery specialist working to drive operational innovation, product quality, sustainability and efficiencies across all ISB channels. John also joined the board of the Craft Baker’s Association in 2022 and continues to serve as a non-executive Director supporting the craft sector.

Louise West, Training Advisor, Scottish Bakers

Louise is a master baker with 37 years of experience in the industry. She began her career as an apprentice and, by the age of 26, progressed to owning her own bakery alongside her husband, Trevor. Over the past 11 years, she has been delivering bakery apprenticeship programmes for the National Food & Drink Training (NFDT) across England, collaborating with talented bakers and apprentices. Passionate about the industry, Louise is dedicated to giving back by sharing her extensive knowledge and skills with others.

Laura Sherwood, Senior Bakery Technologist, Campden BRI

With over a decade of experience in the bakery industry, Laura is a seasoned expert in product development, test baking, analysis, and client consultancy, with a particular focus on plant-based and free-from baking.

At Campden BRI, Laura plays a pivotal role in the Product Development team, where she leverages her extensive knowledge in bakery science to deliver comprehensive training, insightful consultancy, and innovative product solutions. Her expertise spans a wide range of industry sectors, from retailers to suppliers, and she possesses a deep understanding of manufacturing processes, sourcing, product suitability, and development procedures. Laura is excited to have been invited to judge Britain’s Best Loaf competition for the third time. Her experience and insights make her a valuable member of the bakery community.

Neil Woods, Bakery Consultant

Neil has had over 57 years within the British bakery industry, beginning at 15 as a probationary apprentice. Following 33 successful years with IREKS UK Ltd, Neil retired in 2018. He has been a long-standing member of The B.C.A. The B.S.B. and C.B.A. In 2021, Neil was awarded the Outstanding Contribution to the Baking Industry Award and says this was the pinnacle achievement of his career in the industry.

Nick Pearce, Sales Representative, Brook Food & Bakery Equipment

Nick is a product and ingredients specialist with a technical approach. With over 30 years of bakery experience, including running his own bakery business, Nick is well-equipped to assist customers with their specific needs. He has a comprehensive understanding of the demands of the business from a retail perspective. Combining his technical knowledge of equipment with a customer-focused approach, Nick works to develop efficient processes and automation, ensuring the end product maintains quality and consistency.

Sara Autton, Bakery Consultant

Sara’s career in baking began at a very early age and has been a lifelong passion for her. She studied at the National Bakery School (part of London Southbank University) on two separate occasions, gaining a variety of bakery-related City and Guilds qualifications, her National Diploma in Bakery and a Batchelor’s degree in Bakery Science and Product Management. Sara recently retired from Lesaffre UK & Ireland (formerly Fermex International) where she was Technical Manager for over 25 years. In 2023 she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the London Southbank University; and the prestigious Outstanding Contribution to the Baking Industry Award from the British Baker. She continues to take an interest in the baking industry through her current role as a bakery consultant.

Tom Martin, Head Baker, The Bread Factory

Tom is the creator and winner of Britain’s Best Loaf 2024 and a finalist for BIA Baker of the Year 2024. He recently stepped into the role of Head Baker at The Bread Factory in Manchester, part of the Bread Holdings Group, which also oversees Gail’s and Bertinet Bakery. Brought in to enhance the quality and production of the Manchester operation, Tom will play a key role in the group’s transition to a new, purpose built facility in 2026.

With over 20 years of experience in the baking industry, Tom specialises in long fermentation breads and brings extensive expertise to his craft. He also shares his passion for baking through his Instagram page, @tom_the_baker, where he documents his journey, techniques, and creations.

Excited to return as a judge for the 2025 competition, Tom says, “I’ll be looking for a loaf that truly reflects the baker’s passion and dedication. It’s an honor to pass the baton to the next winner, and I hope they enjoy the experience as much as I have.

William Leet, Bakery Development Technician, David Wood Baking

William began his baking journey at Leicester College before furthering his studies at University College Birmingham (UCB). During his time at UCB, he won the Presidents Cup at the Alliance for Bakery Students and Trainees (ABST) twice in a row and completed a summer internship with Tromp Bakery Equipment in the Netherlands, among other placements. After graduating, William moved to Norway to undertake an internship at the renowned Nordic Bakeriet i Lom, where he stayed for two years, working as an Artisan Baker and Supervisor, specialising in craft breads, sourdoughs, and pastries. Upon returning to the UK, William secured his dream role as a Development Baker for David Wood Baking Ltd, where he focuses on Italian breads, sourdoughs, and a variety of other baked goods.

Since joining David Wood, he has guest lectured at UCB, been a guest speaker for the ABST, and achieved his biggest accolade to date: winning the Rising Star Award at the 2021 Baking Industry Awards (BIA). In 2022, William continued to make strides in the industry, speaking at the British Society of Baking Spring Conference, judging competitions at the ABST, and returning to UCB as a guest lecturer.