New Scenic Spot: Award-winning baker opens shop in Kaohsiung

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Source: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiw.../05/2003487772

Award-winning baker opens shop in Kaohsiung City

Staff writer, with CNA

Wu Pao-chun (吳寶春), the baker who won the title of Bakery Master in the bread category at this year’s Bakery World Cup in Paris, opened his own shop in Kaohsiung yesterday.

Wu, who spent nearly a decade as an apprentice baker and another 10-odd years as a pastry chef in Taipei, opened the bakery to a long line of bread lovers.

“I apologize that everyone has had to wait so long,” the happy 39-year-old said.

During the bakery’s soft opening at the end of last month, it had about 1,000 customers a day, although some latecomers went home empty-handed despite the efforts of 20 bakers working around the clock.

Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊), who can see the lines of people waiting to buy Wu’s bread, baguettes and sandwich loaves from her Kaohsiung City Hall office window, said Wu has become the pride of Taiwan.

“The Wu Pao-chun bakery has become Kaohsiung’s latest attraction,” Chen said.

Wu worked his way to the top of his profession through sheer hard work, overcoming his limited education and relatively poor upbringing, to develop his own successful brand name, the mayor said.

When Wu was 12, his father died, leaving his wife to bring up their family on her own. The Pingtung County native went to work after graduating from junior high-school so he could help with the family finances.

“I learned a lot from my mother,” Wu told a press conference on March 13. “She was illiterate, and didn’t have many dreams. Her only wish was that all her children could grow up and achieve something.”

He defeated 23 rivals from 17 countries to win the bread baking competition in March.

Wu told customers that he already had plans to expand the shop. He said he has invited Chang Chin-fu (張金福), who first taught Wu how to make bread, and the Japanese baker who helped Wu hone his skills when he went to Japan to learn the trade, to make the starter dough for the shop.

Wu took up the offer of a rent-free, three-year lease on the 200 ping (660m2) shop that Chen Wu-tsung (陳武聰), chairman of the Real Estate Development Association of Kaohsiung, extended after Wu returned home from Paris.

[pttwarrior]

2010-11-9 from taiwan-city.com by claudius

[pttwarrior]

2010-11-9 from taiwan-city.com by claudius

[pttwarrior]

Source: http://news.cts.com.tw/cts/english/2...310597864.html

Master's New Bakery

CTS 2010/10/31

Video:
http://f1.flv.cts.com.tw/flvprovider...ab4c9f705b.flv


Internationally-acclaimed baker Wu Bao-chun is about to open his own bakery at Kaohsiung, which is located right opposite the City Hall. And a trial sale of his most popular products just started this week, attracting legions of eager fans.


On the flip side of the bakery window is master baker Wu Bao-chun doing what he does best - supervising the minute details of bread making and kneading the soft dough with a rolling pin.

In a trial sale, Wu hopes to allow customers to get a taste of his famous bread selection, such as this lychee-rose flavored bread.

In a global baker competition this year, Wu's boulangerie creations snagged the championship

Wu's lychee-rose bread, a limited edition, contains powdered sugar meticulously shaped into lychees.

Another limited item is the brandied longan bread, with which the Taiwanese are so familiar.

On this bread is an image of a laughing and smiling child, symbolizing Wu's love and gratitude to his mother.

Another one of Wu's creations is an expansion of the French baguette, completely derived from local ingredients.

Wu's selection also boasts substantial, simple varieties such as onion bread and brown sugar toast.

Wu's bakery, which is conveniently situated right across from the Kaohsiung City Hall, took months of preparation and planning.

The bakery is set up with an elegant and comfortable atmosphere for his customers.

Before it even officially opened, tens of patrons were already lined up to get a taste Kaohsiung's first creative bread.

[pttwarrior]

Source: http://news.cts.com.tw/cts/english/2...210613828.html


CTS 2010/11/21 06:45

Award-winning Baker's Store


Many would agree that it is definitely worth the wait for a bite of the fresh bun made by Wu Ba-chun. Wu, the Taiwanese pastry master who won his reputation in the international stage with his great skills, has opened a new bakery shop in Kaohsiung. Since it started operating, the store cannot seem to get a break. Let's take you to the happening spot, which is almost becoming an attraction of its own.


Wu Bao-chuin, an award-winning baker, has opened up another bakery in Kaohsiung.

The store doesnt open till 10am, but people have been lining up already, anxious to get a taste of these wonderful bread and pastries.

Other than people lining up, there are also fans carrying their camera, snapping away at this scene.

This bakery has opened for two weeks now, but since Wus popularity has been rocketing, people are still lining up patiently at the door every day, even though its not a guarantee that they will get to buy anything from the store before they are all sold out.

Also, as his name gets bigger, his bakery has also turned into a sight-seeing spot for tourists.

And in order to cope with the soaring amount of people each day, they have set up a canopy on the side for the people who are getting in line.

However, this has also caused some traffic congestions in the area which does not please the local residents.

All in all, this is a small price to pay for being so famous.