BAKING
Get Your Bake On! cont.
Having grown up on Wallasey on the Wirral, near
Liverpool, it certainly wasn't always Paul's intention
to pursue a career in baking, despite the wishes
of his baker father. However, his natural talent for
the task took hold, and after much hard work
and a true dedication to the field, today he stands
as a master baker and a TV celebrity chef truly
deserved of his international recognition. From
setting up his own artisan bakery, working as a
head chef at the UK's most exclusive hotels, and
producing best-selling books and columns – to
the phenomenal success of such TV shows as
The Great British Bake Off and Pies and Puds –
it seems for Mr Hollywood, when you're following
your passion, achieving really is a piece of cake.
Tell us a bit about your own journey into
baking. Was it always your ambition to
follow in your baker father's footsteps?
I had no intention of following in my father's
footsteps; I was in arts school and he pulled me
out and offered me money to get my haircut and
join the industry, which I did. However in hindsight,
,
I am glad I did as I had a talent for it. I was good
at it. I was brought up in and around bakeries
and my father has always been a baker, so I
suppose it was the natural thing for me to do –
but I didn't look for it; it just happened organically
,
which is probably the best way.
When it comes to your baking, you travelled
extensively to discover ancient baking techniques
before setting up your own artisan bread
company. Is there one place or technique that
still sticks in your mind today?
I lived in Cyprus for six years, so it played
a large part in my life and had a huge impact on
me. From the Cyprian style of baking and the
way in which they bake, to the place, weather,
and the people – it is such a nice place to go.
Cyprus is probably the place that has truly
influenced my baking, as from there on in, I did
change and adapt my recipes to bring in such
styles.
Of course, we need to mention your role
in the highly successful BBC2 show, The
Great British Bake Off. Did you anticipate
such a recipe for success?
No, I did not. It has been a slow grower, initially
attracting 3.6 million viewers in the first series,
right up to 9.4 million in the most recent fourth
series. The Great British Bake Off has gone from
strength to strength, but it's the baking stars of
the show that make people watch and come
back. The contestants all go through the mill;
they're wrung out to dry and the ones that hang
in there and do their best in the final are the
champions. We've had some fantastic winners
over the last four years, and long may they reign.
Season five will air this year on BBC1. What
are the top three factors you look for when
it comes to judging the amateur bakers?
Taste, texture and appearance are the three basic
measures that I use with everything. If you keep
to this criteria, you will always end up with a
winner – and a worthy one too.
Your first live UK tour, Pau