Sarah soars as 2025 student ambassador for global food supplier

January 2025

By Sean Madden

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An undergraduate student at Birmingham College of Food has been appointed by a leading food supply company as one of three new Student Bakery Ambassadors for 2025.

Sarah-Jane Farrow, a final year Bakery and Patisserie Technology BSc (Hons) student, has been selected by Dawn Foods UK & Ireland for her commitment to the craft of baking, understanding of current trends and challenges in the industry, and exciting ideas for new products and recipes.

The appointment is part of an ongoing partnership with University College Birmingham to support young people hoping to forge a career in the bakery industry.

21-year old Sarah began her studies at the University with the foundation diploma in Bakery and Patisserie before making the step up to the degree course. She will now be working with Dawn Foods’ Application Chef, Robin Loud, to create new recipes using Dawn’s products, as well as blogs and insights to be featured on the company’s website, trade press and social media platforms.

A craft honed from an early age

Sarah spent her youth baking with her mum and grandmother, and these early experiences instilled a love for all things patisserie.

During the Covid-19 lockdown she established her own business making cakes and bakes for residents on her hometown estate. Thrilled by the positive reaction to and popularity of her treats, she began to think seriously about bakery as a career.

Studying at University College Birmingham has given her a range of experiences, from technical skills to specialist knowledge of product development, and she is eager to put these skills into practice through her ambassadorial role with Dawn Foods.

"I’m so grateful for the chance to gain hands-on experience in the industry, and to see and learn things I’d never ordinarily be able to.

"I wouldn’t have had the opportunity without my tutor Jo, and the doors opened for me through study at University College Birmingham."

Sarah-Jane Farrow Dawn Foods 2025 Student Ambassador

Dawn Foods' student ambassador programme has been running for nine years and is part of the company’s commitment to nurturing young talent entering the bakery industry. In previous years Dawn selected its ambassadors from University College Birmingham but this year, the company widened the opportunity to all students 18+ undertaking a level 4+ bakery related qualification or undertaking a recognised bakery training programme.

The student ambassadors get the chance to work with Dawn’s development team on new recipes. They also create content for the company’s social media platforms as well as blogs for the website and editorial for external media such as British Baker, providing excellent opportunities for students to promote themselves to the wider bakery sector.

The company has established itself as one of the top global bakery companies, providing ingredients, bespoke solutions and services to the bakery and food service industries.

Headquartered in Jackson, Michigan, and with its UK and Ireland base in Evesham, Worcestershire, Dawn Foods employs more than 4000 people worldwide and partners with more than 40,000 artisan and retail bakers, food service leaders, and manufacturers located in more than 100 countries. For more information about Dawn Foods, visit www.dawnfoods.com/uk

Where are they now? A few of our graduate success stories

Sarah is among many Bakery and Patisserie Technology BSc (Hons) students and alumni from University College Birmingham who have made their mark in the baking industry:

Rosie Ginday MBE (Miss Macaroon)

Poppy O'Toole (@poppycooks)

Katie Garrett

Will Leet

Megan Roberts

Jessica Dalton

Natalie Brown

Katie Garrett – 2021 Baking Industry Awards (BIA) Rising Star winner – now a development technologist at British Bakels
Will Leet – winner of ABST Presidents’ Cup two years in a row and 2021 Baking Industry Awards finalist – now a bakery development technologist for David Wood Foods
Megan Roberts – 2019 Baking Industry Awards’ Rising Star winner and Le Cordon Bleu's UK Scholarship Award finalist – now a research and development technologist for AB Mauri UK and Ireland
Jessica Dalton – 2017 Baking Industry Awards Rising Star winner, who has made chocolates for Sophie, Countess of Wessex – now communications secretary for the ABST
Natalie Brown – Freedom of the Worshipful Company of Bakers award as top student in the UK – now running her own cake business
Piper Ayres – ABST gold medallist – now a food technology teacher at Christ’s College Finchley

Other former students working at the highest level in bakery and patisserie include Bake Off: The Professionals finalist Bharat Chandegra, who launched XO Patisserie during the Covid-19 lockdown and scored massive business success with his amazing petit gateaux, macaroons and celebration cakes.

Rosie Ginday MBE, founder of award-winning social enterprise and colour matching macaron business Miss Macaroon, and TikTok star Poppy O’Toole – who recently starred in E4's Celeb Cooking School – also learned crucial bakery and patisserie skills studying at the University.

Students are taught by the best too. Bakery and Patisserie Technology BSc (Hons) lecturers have included Dawn Gemmell, winner of the Outstanding Contribution to the Baking Industry award at the Baking Industry Awards.

One of her biggest claims to fame is making a spectacular ‘toybox’ celebration cake for the future king, Prince George – presented to Prince William at University College Birmingham.

Cutting-edge facilities and opportunities

Students on our Bakery and Patisserie Technology BSc (Hons) degree learn in cutting-edge facilities.

These include on-site baking and new product development laboratories with the latest industrial ovens and high-speed mixers and laser volume measuring and dough and flour rheology testing equipment, as well as specialist chocolate production and tempering equipment.

Bakery and patisserie students also get valuable industry experience in the Restaurant at Birmingham College of Food training restaurant and by having their creations sold in the University’s Cakes and Bakes shop.

Placements are also key to standing out on graduation and our employer partners include everyone from Mondelēz and Hyatt Hotels to The Ritz London.

University College Birmingham is renowned for providing specialist vocational training for students looking to enter the culinary industry, with world-class facilities and expert tuition provided on a range of college, undergraduate and postgraduate courses as well as apprenticeships.

Discover our full range of courses within Birmingham College of Food.