Young baker heads to Denmark

A YOUNG baker from Cardiff is to travel to Denmark to learn all the secrets of baking the traditional Danish way.

Becky Chatfield works as an apprentice at the popular Brød bakery in Pontcanna, set up by Danish expat Betina Skovbro.

The 22-year-old, who is originally from Devon, has always loved baking, although she had no thought of taking it up as a career when she graduated with a degree in marine biology.

She said: “I’ve been baking for as long as I can remember, so the skills were somewhat there, but moving it to a professional market is completely different.”

She saw an advert for a job at Brød and decided to apply.

“Danish baking is such a niche area, but there’s nothing around, just the supermarket pastries and they’re obviously not the same. Working here, it’s something you wouldn’t learn anywhere else.”

It will be the first time Becky – whose working day at Brød starts at 5am – has visited Denmark. She will spend six days split between two bakeries, where she hopes to pick up new skills – and a little else besides.

“We do everything here authentically Danish, but it’s being able to see it out there and hopefully get some inspiration for new products,” she said.

“And get a little of the culture as well – hygge and all that is such a big thing, but seeing it first-hand is going to be completely different.

“They’re the happiest country in the world supposedly, so I guess I’ll see whether everyone is smiling on the train to work!”

Becky is the bakery’s first apprentice to make the trip to Denmark. Ms Skovbro says it will be a valuable opportunity for her to see some of the techniques of Danish baking first-hand and also to learn more about the country and its culture.

“I think it’s important for them to see where it comes from,” she said.

Ms Skovbro set up Brød a little over two years ago and is pleased with how well it has done.

“At the start it was a massive gamble – buying all the bakery equipment cost more than my house.

“But the bakery has been so wellreceived, I think because we listen to our customers and, if we have a bad review, we fix it.”