
International baking champion shares secret to success
Bread comes in all shapes and sizes, with bakers constantly creating new flavors and innovative fillings. But the process of making any bread, from kneading the dough to taking it out of the oven, is long and complex. The winner of the Bakery World Cup, Wu Tzu-ching, has revealed his process for making bread, offering an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at how professional bakers work.
Bread comes in all shapes and sizes, with bakers constantly creating new flavors and innovative fillings. But the process of making any bread, from kneading the dough to taking it out of the oven, is long and complex. The winner of the Bakery World Cup, Wu Tzu-ching, revealed his process for making bread, offering an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at how professionals bake.
Baking champion Wu Tzu-ching carefully kneads the dough, adding filling as he molds it into the right shape. At the factory, the bakers copy his technique as closely as possible.
These pineapple buns with diamond patterns pressed on top are one of his specialties. So are these red bean buns, stuffed with filling right in the center. Wu loved watching Japanese cooking shows when he was young and developed an interest in baking, working hard to get his baker’s certification and even winning international competitions.
In 2022, he won the Bakery World Cup in Paris with his team. In 2023, he was named the Baker of the Year by the International Union of Bakers and Confectioners. But he never rested on his laurels, continuing to improve his recipes and spread his love of baking.
Wu Tzu-ching
Baker
If it’s all made with machines from start to finish, there are some details that can’t be 100% controlled. Making them by hand, we can adjust as necessary. The training alone takes over a month.
Moving from handmaking bread to producing it in a factory requires careful adjustments throughout the process. Strict standards are maintained from the beginning, manually selecting ingredients and inspecting them. The dough is left to ferment and is only considered ready when it can be stretched into a thin sheet. Each 200-kilogram batch is then lifted onto the production line, where it is divided, shaped, and sent into the oven.
After it comes out of the oven, the bread is cooled, cut, and manually inspected.
Wu Tzi-ching
Baker
We use a two-stage method for fermentation. Because lots of fillings are rolled into the dough during production, we need to pay close attention to whether they create air pockets in the bread.
Whether it’s winning international competitions or leading factory production, Wu Tzu-ching pays close attention to every step. Through his dedication and professionalism, he shares Taiwan’s baking prowess with the world.
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2026-06-10