Tom Martin, a former Tesco employee, has won the prestigious 'Britain's Best Loaf' award for his Deep Pan Rosemary and Garlic Focaccia. The competition took place at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham on April 30, 2024. Martin's focaccia emerged as the top bread out of nearly 200 entries.
The award-winning bread began as a mistake when Martin added too much water to a standard loaf, creating an unusable, overly moist dough. Attempting to salvage it, he placed the dough in a pan, added olive oil and flaky salt, and baked it, resulting in a successful focaccia. He further refined the recipe by incorporating a sourdough starter and fermented garlic oil.
Tom is currently the head baker at 4 Eyes Bakery in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. His focaccia quickly became a favorite among customers, leading him to enter the national competition. Martin and his wife, Emily, were stunned when their bread won the international category and subsequently the overall title after a blind taste test by judges.
Tom attributes his success to a passion for baking ignited by a job at Tesco when he was 18. He encourages aspiring bakers to invest in quality cookbooks and practice at home.