Bake Off Competiton 2026

The cakes were fabulous – all of them. The six competitors from Bertha Park and
St. John’s High schools created beautiful and all different cakes/bakes based on the
theme of Perthshire strawberries. The standard was so high at the competition on
Wednesday 20th May, 2026 at UHI Perth that it was hard to judge.

At this tough competition the judges scrutinise six criteria: Appealing to eye,
Originality, Balance of Components recognising the theme, Ease of Eating, Flavour
and Work Practices.

All of the competitors had already passed through a heat within their own school to
compete at Perth College UHI under the direction of Neil Mugg, Chef Lecturer and
Bill Montgomery, Master Baker and Anna Martin, President of the Rotary Club of
Perth.

At the end the winner was Lewis Bethure who created a strawberry upside down
gluten free bake. It was delicious,  he used the strawberries very well
and it looked very appetising.

Lewis said “the reason I have picked this dish is because after becoming gluten free
I never stopped appreciating how much gluten is such a part of everything we eat
and how challenging it is to make food without it. I want to prove to people that even
though the food is gluten free it can taste just as good without gluten, if not better”
And Lewis was a very worthy winner receiving his prize and silver salver from Anna
Martin, President of the Rotary Club of Perth.

The competitors were Olivia, Daniel and Isabel from St. John’s and Sadie, Lewis and
Jamie from Bertha Park.

A huge thank you to the school teachers and especially Neil Mugg and the UHI Hospitality team.