Muffin Break Altona Gate’s own Deepthi has officially been crowned Champion of the 2024 FoodCo Bake Off, a competition open to all Muffin Break and Jamaica Blue bakers across Australia and New Zealand.

Deepthi has been baking up a storm with Muffin Break since 2019, working at locations including Point Cook and Sanctuary Lakes before joining the Altona Gate team last year. While she’s no stranger to creating delicious treats, this was the first time she’d entered a competition like this.

Encouraged by her manager, Chaitanya, Deepthi entered with her signature Chocolate Orange Almond Cake. A recipe she’s perfected over seven years for friends and family. After making it through the initial submission stage, she travelled to Sydney as one of just six finalists across two countries.

The final bake-off featured three rounds:

• Round 1: Bake your signature dish and create a savoury dish on the spot.
• Round 2: A blind cheese tasting challenge.
• Round 3: A speed and precision test, decorating muffins and cutting cakes to perfection.

Deepthi’s skills shone brightest in the last round, where her speed and accuracy pushed her to the top of the leaderboard.

“I’m very happy, this is the first time I’ve participated in something like this. I’m usually very shy....but with the support of my husband and my manager, I was able to win,” Deepthi said.

For Deepthi, baking isn’t just about recipes, it’s about creativity and teamwork.

“My manager gives us the freedom to be ourselves and create something. He makes us feel like it’s our shop too, which makes us even more invested in its success.”

When she’s not baking her award-winning cake, you’ll find her enjoying a choc chip muffin from the Muffin Break menu or shopping locally at Altona Gate.

And as for next year’s competition?

“It’s not just about winning, it’s such a great experience. We want everyone to have that chance… though we’d love to win it again!”

Congratulations Deepthi! You’ve put Altona Gate on the (baking) map!