'Croissants in my carry-on': Curtin Bakery goes above and beyond for National Bakery Association competition

A small Canberra bakery has come up with a couple of well-deserved ribbons for their first time entering the National Artisan Baking Competition run by the Baking Association of Australia (BAA).

Evoke Bakery opened in December 2022, and a little over 18 months on, they’re a staple of the thriving Curtin shops.

Co-owner Tom Lambert said they wanted to see how their tiny bakery operation stacked up against some of the industry’s heavyweights, and they were delighted to come away with a silver and bronze ribbon.

“It’s nice to be recognised. Hopefully, it will put us on the map a little bit!” Tom told Region.

“I knew Jayson could do it, and this might encourage a few more people to give us a go.”

The team came second for their croissant and 3rd for their white baguette. They had previously picked up two gold ribbons for their sourdough loaves in the Canberra Baking Show, also run by the BAA.

It’s a remarkable feat, considering they’re a relatively new (and quite small) bakery. And getting their baked goods to the national competition in Melbourne turned out to be something of a logistical challenge.

Head baker and co-owner Jayson Brockman baked the breads and pastries they were entering shortly before boarding a plane to Melbourne to get them to the competition as fresh as possible.

“I had all this bread and croissants in my carry-on!” Jayson laughed.

“Have you seen those videos of baggage handlers? There was no way I was putting them in checked baggage!”

They’re hoping the next national baking competition will be a little closer to home!

Having established their retail space in Curtin, they’ve branched out to supply some independent supermarkets around Canberra. They’re currently looking at options for a second retail space, hopefully with a custom-built, climate-controlled pastry kitchen.

They considered having a ‘dark’ commercial kitchen (with no shopfront), but Tom says there’s something special about being able to buy the products directly from where they’re made.

“We want people to be able to look through the door and see Jayson rolling croissants or Kenny shaping loaves.”

While networking and exploring the stalls at the industry show attached to the baking competition, Tom got chatting with the owner of Provenance Flour, a supplier specialising in single origin and single varietal flours grown by producers using regenerative farming practices. This will allow them to highlight the flavours of specific wheat varieties and improve the overall sustainability of the bakery.

Over time, they’ve developed their core range of products, learning which breads and pastries their customers prefer. Their range of pies is top-notch – I recommend the deliciously chunky braised lamb – and they serve a variety of beautiful tarts and moreish doughnuts.

They’re also developing a strong community around their Curtin shopfront: barista Aidan greets regulars by name, and there’s plenty of friendly banter among the front-of-house staff. When they opened, one of their aims was to provide a positive working environment that prioritised the happiness of the staff. Spending just a little time in the store makes it clear they’re fulfilling that goal: those competition ribbons are just the icing on the doughnut.

Evoke Bakery is located at 2/44 Curtin Pl, Curtin Shops. They are open from 6 am to 5 pm Monday to Saturday, and from 7 am to 3.30 pm on Sunday. Follow Evoke Bakery on Facebook or Instagram.