Chef Johnny Chen Yung-Hsin’s recognition as one of the world’s greatest bakers today is helping to put Asia on the bread making map, but his award-winning mastery in baking was not born out of years studying at a culinary school, or growing up in a family of bakers. Rather it was self-taught.

Chef Johnny’s first encounter with baking was during a school vacation job in a Taiwanese bakery store. Despite seeing first-hand the demands of working in a kitchen, Chef Johnny became more determined take on the challenge to learn the ropes. The experience of creating fragrant and freshly baked goods left a lasting impression on him, and when he graduated from the National Taiwan University of Arts in Machinery Automation, he decided to switch gears and follow his dreams. While most of his peers embarked on engineering careers, he chose the road less travelled. Starting from nothing, Chef Johnny refused to allow his inexperience to impede his momentum.

Guided by the belief that “there are no shortcuts to becoming a great baker”, Chef Johnny persisted in learning on the job, spent countless hours researching bread artistry and sculpture and secured apprenticeships with respected chefs in Japan and Europe. In time, he became known for his innovative use of ingredients and beautifully crafted breads, gaining global recognition in bread making competitions.

In 2015, Chef Johnny’s talents were recognised at the 5th biennial Mondial du Pain (World of the Bread), one of the industry’s most prestigious competitions, where he took home the coveted championship title. One of the highest praises for any baker, he finished the competition in front of world-renowned heavyweights France, Belgium, Italy and Japan. He was also awarded the Artistic Piece Special Prize for his bread sculpture masterpiece “Bull Demon King”, which paid homage to the flavours of Taiwan, including red quinoa, smoked dried longan, passion fruit and pineapple.

In September 2016, Chef Johnny joined BreadTalk as a Chef Consultant, working alongside the brand’s internationally-renowned Chef Consultants and R&D team. Together they will present to Singapore consumers Chef Johnny’s award-winning creations and a new range of breads, inspired by the local flavours of Singapore.

Chef Johnny’s credentials are a natural fit with BreadTalk’s longstanding emphasis on quality, creativity and innovation, which have been recognised by World Branding Awards (Brand of the Year 2016) and Brand Alliance (2016 Asia’s Gen Y Top Bakery Brand). Chef Johnny is also a full-time lecturer at Chungyu Institute of Technology, fulfilling another ambition that’s close to his heart; sharing his expertise and inspiring the next generation of bakers.