UWL alumnus wins Bake Off: The Professionals 2024
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This year’s Bake Off: The Professionals was won by University of West London alumnus Tanuj "TJ" Sharma, alongside teammate Narayan Shrestha. In this nationally televised competition, a spin-off from the popular baking show, The Great British Bake Off, contestants must take part in baking challenges to find the best pastry chefs in the country.
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TJ took three apprenticeship courses at UWL in 2013, 2014 and 2015. He completed the Professional Cookery Level 2 and Level 3 Apprenticeships, followed by the Level 3 Pastry Apprenticeship, run by UWL in partnership with the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts (RACA). This formed the foundation of his knowledge in culinary arts and nurtured his interest in working as a pastry chef.
After his studies, TJ began his career in the food industry as a Commis Chef at the Savoy hotel, where he worked for two years. He progressed to a Pastry Chef de Partie at InterContinental London – the O2 hotel. Amid the difficulties of the global COVID pandemic, Tanuj received recognition for helping the NHS at the RACA Lockdown Awards.
TJ continued his professional development at Fairmont Windsor Park hotel, where he progressed from Junior Pastry Sous Chef to Pastry Sous Chef within one and a half years. It was here where Amit Arya (the executive pastry chef from the sister hotel InterContinental London – the O2) put TJ and Narayan forward for the opportunity to compete in Bake Off: The Professionals.
The competition was challenging for TJ, both technically and mentally, but his resilience and skill gave him the tools to excel. He stated:
Winning Bake Off: The Professionals 2024 was the hardest part of my pastry career, and I am so happy I achieved this title.”
He went on to acknowledge how his time at UWL influenced his career:
The University of West London has played a big part in my career’s foundation... I just wanted to say a big thank you to UWL for teaching me everything about pastry.”
Ben Christopherson, senior lecturer at the London Geller College of Hospitality and Tourism, taught TJ on his apprenticeship course and remembered him well:
TJ was a fantastic student with a great attitude, I'm extremely proud of him and look forward to following his career as he progresses."
Catch up with Bake Off: The Professionals Series 9 on Channel 4 to follow TJ and Narayan’s success story.
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