LA Judge Apprentice Winner Goes to Belgium

Imogen Fearon of Chouquette Patisserie in New Farm has been crowned the 2024 LA Judge Award Baking Apprentice of the Year after a fierce three-day challenge against other states and territories in Austalia. Her prize—a week of advanced training in Belgium with Puratos at the HQ and Sourdough Institute has deepened her craft and ignited fresh inspiration on her baking journey.

After arriving well in Brussels on Sunday, bright and early Monday morning, I travelled to Saint Vith alongside Puratos customers and the General Manager from the Dominican Republic. Immersing myself in stories from bakers across the globe revealed the true cultural depth of the Puratos community.

That morning, I wandered through the Maison Du Levain, where the depth of sourdough’s history left me speechless. The layers of tradition, dating back centuries, were palpable in every nook of the institute.

In the afternoon, International Technical Advisor Vincent Fogaroli, dazzled us with a live demonstration. Sampling a wide array of  breads featuring Puratos innovations felt like a private tasting tour, and I even shaped a trial buckwheat sourdough under his expert guidance.

The day closed with a barbecue on the Institute’s grounds—a fusion of German, Dutch, and Dominican party culture. The laughter, music, and shared meals underscored how food truly brings people together.

The following day, Tuesday, three other young women and I met Karl De Smedt, The Sourdough Librarian. To say he has a lot of knowledge is an understatement, it was incredible to just sit down and pick his brain.

He truly has earned his title, and it was such an honour to meet him. Fortunately for me, my visit lined up with the time he fed his sourdough starters. This was an incredible honour for me.

To see the passion behind his work. To be able to feed, touch, and smell sourdough starters he has collected from all over the world.

From seeing ones originating in Japan by the samurai, made out of cooked rice, to a panettone pasta madre. There is even one from my home city Brisbane, Brett Noy's sourdough #69 from Uncle Bob's bakery. It was surreal to see how much work goes into it, I was incredibly lucky to have fed the Vitus Sourdough, which is currently sitting in the Louvre in Paris!

After the first feed, we were able to weigh the flour for the next feed, which will be in two months. It was impressive seeing the method of how he receives the flour from the bakers, to how he refreshes the sourdoughs on behalf of the owners.

Puratos have 157 sourdough starters from 32 different countries. Which have been refreshed over 24150 times. To say I was mind blown is an understatement. It was a pleasure and a privilege to be able to meet Karl, let alone help preserve these starter cultures for the future generations. 

Stepping into Puratos Headquarters, I met Jill Chang Chien, their talented International Technical Pastry Chef. Together, we explored the versatility of Puratos pastry products.

We crafted mochi, lemon tarts, and éclairs, experimenting with classic, creative, and well-being-focused formulations. Watching how the technical team adapts recipes to diverse needs opened my eyes to the true innovation behind each product.

Day four took me to the Puratos Bakery, where trainee baker Nathan guided me through his daily routine. Mixing dough, shaping baguettes, and scoring ciabatta revealed the artistry in every loaf.

Shadowing Nathan sharpened my own shaping and scoring skills. His craftsmanship and attention to detail taught me techniques I’ll carry into my own baking adventures.

On the final day, I strolled into the city for some well-earned sightseeing at the Chocostory museum. Learning how chocolate spread across cultures and witnessing a chocolatier craft pralines added a sweet finale to my trip.

Every display and demonstration highlighted chocolate’s global journey—much like sourdough, a food that unites traditions and inspires creativity.

Conclusion

I am absolutely blown away by the hospitality and generosity of the Puratos Australia team. I’m so thankful for an amazing week of learning and inspiration, and I look forward to bringing these insights to our local baking community in Brisbane, Australia. For now though, I am off to explore wonderful Europe!!