By Sabine Klier
When others have a party, they stand in hot bakeries in the middle of the night and shape bread or decorate cakes!
Four young bakers and confectioners from Berlin and Brandenburg, who have just completed their training and want to be the best, fought for the title of national champions on Thursday. The winner will represent the region at the German championship in November.
You are one of the few who still want to do this backbreaking job. There are currently 216 apprentices in bakeries and 184 confectioners being trained in Berlin. But many apprenticeships remain unfilled.
The mixed wheat bread is scored evenly with a sharp scalpel Photo: Charles Yunck
“It is difficult to find an apprentice,” says master baker and confectioner Marco Angermüller (43) from Henningsdorf.
Berlin is currently looking for 40 trainees in sales and 20 trainees in the bakeries – including career changers and older ones.
The competition between the young bakers is also tough. They have six hours to make a wide variety of baked goods – from rolls to cakes.
► “I prefer to work the night shift from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m.,” says journeyman baker Bjarne Anlauf (21) from Spandau. “However, it is difficult to combine hobbies and work with these working hours.”
Bjarne Anlauf (21) from Spandau prepares a braid. For the competition he made mixed bread, pastries, a cake and various rolls Photo: Charles Yunck
Bjarne is a drummer in a rock band. Now he cleverly handles the ingredients for his mixed wheat bread. “My secret ingredient is oats. I’m not a fan of spices, the original taste is best.”
The yeast dough is braided into a long braid from three strands of dough, which have previously been rolled evenly by hand Photo: Charles Yunck
► His colleague Lia Bockelmann (19) from Putlitz, on the other hand, sprinkles paprika on her star-shaped rolls. Her job is her passion: “I don’t stop baking when I get home. I’ll try my hand at cakes.”
Despite the competition, they help each other: Lia and Bjarne put the bread in the oven Photo: Charles Yunck
► Marie Dimde (22) from Luckau completed initial training as a confectionery technologist at the Sawade praline manufacturer before learning to be a confectioner: “In this job I can really express myself and use my creativity.”
The height has to be right: Pastry chef Marie Dimde (22) checks the height with a geo-triangle Photo: Charles Yunck
► Pastry chef Fenya Reuver (22) from Rathenow enjoyed baking with her grandmother and mother as a child. After graduating from high school, she moved to Brandenburg to start her apprenticeship there. The working hours didn’t deter her.
Delicate: Confectioner Fenya decorates her cake with a pattern of colored triangles Photo: Charles Yunck
Since 1954, a national champion has been selected from the best apprentices every year. The examiners evaluate precision, taste and creativity. Christa Lutum (61), head master of the Berlin-Brandenburg bakers’ guild, is satisfied with this year’s participants: “Skill and experience are the most important ingredients.”
Using stencils, Marie cuts out her chocolate decorations for the show piece Photo: Charles Yunck
Christa Lutum (61), head master of the Berlin-Brandenburg bakers’ guild, is satisfied with this year’s participants: “Skill and experience are the most important ingredients.” Marie Dimde and Bjarne Anlauf were honored in the evening. The two are now going to the German championship in Weinheim.
Beaming winners: Bjarne Anlauf (21) from Spandau and Marie Dimde (22) from Luckau are now allowed to go to the German championship Photo: Charles Yunck
Whoever wins the German championship will be allowed to go to the World Championships, which will be held in Taiwan this year.