The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Storm in a souffle over Marie’s French training
Tv show: Bake Off favourite was taught at top cookery school in Paris
British Bake Off favourite Marie Campbell was trained by professionals at a top French cookery school, it emerged yesterday.
The Perthshire candidate, who is tipped to win the hit BBC competition, studied at the renowned Ecole Escoffier at the Ritz in Paris, where she specialised in patisserie.
And when she returned to Scotland, she opened her own online bakery business – Mrs Campbell’s cupcakes – at her home in Auchterarder.
The 66- year- old also ran the award-winning Duisdale House Hotel and restaurant on the Isle of Skye.
Details previously released by the programme makers stated that Marie had “come a long way since she couldn’t boil an egg” and said that she was “inspired” to bake by the patisseries in Paris when she moved there with her family 30 years ago.
In an interview with the Radio Times, Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood said of the contestants: “Crucially they’re not formally trained, they learnt in their own kitchen.”
Yesterday, the BBC was forced to defend its decision to select Marie as a candidate and insisted that no rules were broken. A spokeswoman for the corporation said Marie still qualified for the show because she was never a professional baker.
Although she ran her own cupcake business, it was not her main source of income. The BBC added that although she owned the hotel, she employed a chef in the kitchen while her role was limited to baking scones for guests.
“There are strict criteria to taking part in the show and Marie met that criteria. She gained a certificate for one week’s training in Paris in 1984,” she added.
Marie declined to comment but confirmed that Love Productions, which makes the show, knew about the patisserie training.
The entry form for the series states that contestants must not have any professional catering qualifications acquired within the last 10 years. They cannot ever have worked full time as a baker, cook or chef.
Those whose main source of income derives “from commercial baking in a professional environment” are also barred.
Betting on the Bake Off was suspended last week when the name of this year’s winner was reportedly leaked.