Bakery Showcase 2026, Toronto, ON
Showtime!
WHY EXHIBIT?
It’s a forum and marketplace where suppliers to the baking and food industry meet and conduct business with bakeries & cafes of all sizes, small retail, In-store to large commercial production, wholesale bakeries and buyers and owners of baked goods and baking equipment for food service, restaurants, cafes and grocery stores.
Bakery Showcase 2026 is the event to see, touch & taste the newest products from baking ingredients (flours, mixes, cake decorations, yeast etc.) baking equipment (ovens, mixers, sheeters, processing machines, packaging machines etc.) services, technology and baked goods (fresh, proof & bake, par-baked, freezer-to-oven, thaw & serve).
WHY ATTEND?
Join thousands of industry professionals from bakeries (retail, wholesale, commercial, in-store), grocery, pizzerias, restaurants and food-service outlets at Canada’s ONLY Business-to-Business Baking event! With relevant education sessions, a bustling trade show floor full of bakery-focused exhibitors highlighting their latest innovation, exciting demonstrations, attendees will have no shortage of ways to connect, learn and be inspired.
Bakery Showcase is a two-day event exclusively for the baking industry in Canada, where you’ll find:
- A hub and golden opportunity to connect with suppliers and learn about the latest ingredients, bakery equipment and services
- Education sessions exploring diverse topics to help you evolve your business, keep up on baking industry trends and technical information and learn from the experiences of successful bakeries
- Engaging demonstrations by top bakers
- Many opportunities for relaxed networking!
Bakery Showcase 2026 is the event to see, touch & taste the newest products from baking ingredients (flours, mixes, cake decorations, yeast etc.) baking equipment (ovens, mixers, sheeters, processing machines, packaging machines etc.) services, technology and baked goods (fresh, proof & bake, par-baked, freezer-to-oven, thaw & serve).
Bakery Cup of Canada
Talented bread bakers and pastry chefs will have a forum to demonstrate their excellent technique and teamwork as they vie to win the Bakery Cup of Canada at Bakery Showcase in Toronto May 3-4, 2026.
The national competition will celebrate baking excellence in baguettes, croissants, viennoiserie and specialty breads, as part of the Baking Association of Canada’s annual trade show and conference.
2026 Conference Schedule
Trade show floor exhibitors open: 10:00am-5:00pm
Please note: Education sessions, demonstrations and competitions may begin as early as 8:30am
(please check the schedule below).
DAY 1 – Sunday, May 3, 2026
EDUCATION SESSIONS AREA
8:00am – 8:45am
Annual General Meeting and Meet – and – Greet
Find out what the hardworking BAC has been doing on your behalf and meet board members over morning coffee and pastries.
10:00am – 10:45am
Women in Bakery
Join us to celebrate the start of a new series highlighting “Women in Bakery. Hear from inspiring women sharing their career journeys and lessons learned along the way followed by a live, engaging Q-and-A. Be inspired by voices shaping the past, present and future of baking!
11:00am – 11:30am
Opening Ceremony
11:45am – 12:30pm
Government and International Visitors Meet – and – Greet in the Networking Lounge
1:00pm – 1:45pm
Educational Panel: Transitioning Your Bakery to an Employee
Presented by FCC Food and Beverage
2:00pm – 2:45pm
Texture Is the New Taste: Puratos Presents the Cake Texture Collection
The Cake Texture Collection is a curated showcase of cake textures from around the world designed to help baking professionals understand and appreciate the diversity of textures. Each one is evaluated through visual appearance, tactile feel, and mouthfeel, providing a comprehensive reference for how cakes look, feel, and taste.
Puratos experts will be your guide as you experience, compare and learn about six different cake textures.
This exciting, interactive session aims to establish a common language for describing cake textures, enabling clear communication and consistent evaluation. Whether you’re an experienced baker or new to the profession, this unique sensory experience will help you develop finished goods with any texture you desire.
Presenters:
Pedro Sousa
Pedro Sousa is a Portuguese Pastry Chef who currently works as a Technical Advisor specializing in Patisserie. He has been in the food industry for more than 30 years. Before moving to Canada in 2013, he owned and operated a bakery in Portugal for 20 years. He is passionate about baking both sweet and savoury goods.
Andrea Rosati
Andrea Rosati is a dedicated Product Manager at Puratos who specializes in cake mixes and fillings. She works closely with a cross-functional team, including R&D and Technical Advisors, to help translate market insights, customer and consumer needs into finished goods. Whether refining existing formulations or driving the creation of new mixes and fillings, she focuses on balancing creativity with technical care to deliver high-quality baking solutions to the market.
Nilanivetha Neelakandan
Nilanivetha Neelakandan is an R&D Specialist at Puratos responsible for developing pâtisserie mixes. She focuses on long-shelf-life cake mixes, Acti-Fresh solutions, and custard formulations. In her role, Nila works directly with customers to provide technical support, ensuring product performance and delivering tailored solutions.
3:00pm – 3:45pm
Beyond the Binder: Harnessing Your Bakery’s Food Safety Data with Paperless Forms
Presented by Paperless Forms by Datahex
Is your bakery bogged down by paperwork overload? Learn how Paperless Forms by Datahex, a business built specifically for the food industry, can help your bakery eliminate paperwork, streamline regulatory compliance and gain realtime visibility into critical operations. In this informative session and Q-and-A, Project Manager Kalena Carpentier will explore how going paperless not only reduces administrative burden but also strengthens your ability to collect accurate data that empowers smarter, faster and more informed decision-making to improve traceability, reduce risk and stay audit-ready.
Presenter:
Kalena Carpentier, Project Manager, Datahex
Kalena Carpentier is a Project Manager at Paperless Forms by Datahex, supporting food manufacturers in implementing digital recordkeeping software to strengthen compliance, audit readiness and support continuous improvement across operations. She brings over 12 years of experience in the food industry, leading initiatives and managing programs aligned with food safety and regulatory requirements, namely under the GFSI scope.
DEMONSTRATION AREA
12:00pm – 12:45pm
Reduce Cocoa Costs, Preserve the Flavour
Presented by Ardent Mills
Join Kirk Borchardt, Senior R&D Chef, and Reid McEachran, International Marketing Manager, for a hands-on demonstration and taste test of Ardent Mills’ new single-ingredient cocoa replacer. Validated through sensory trials, Ardent Mills Cocoa Replace complements the rich, indulgent flavour tones of chocolate, offering a seamless complementary substitute cocoa powder up to 25 per cent. As cocoa prices remain high, learn how you can benefit from incorporating our single-ingredient cocoa powder alternative to help reduce costs while maintaining excellent colour and flavour parity for cakes, cookies, brownies, muffins and more.
Presenters:
2:00pm – 3:30pm
Creating Your Signature Sourdough Bread
Presented by Boeker
Learn how the understanding of sourdough has changed over the last decades. Through an interactive talk and tasting, you will discover that sourdough is far more than just “sour.” Learn how each Böcker sourdough category shapes the aroma, taste and character of baked goods and get to know the Böcker Sourdough Language as a practical tool to describe these differences. Led by an expert at Böcker, you will evaluate a sourdough bread through a short sensory session. Bring your questions about sourdough, fermentation and baked goods made with sourdough and finish up with a Q-and-A.
Presenter:
Jamie Brown
Jamie Brown is a Master Baker and food technician currently serving as the technical sales manager at Böcker. With more than 20 years of experience, he specializes in sourdough technology, application, recipe development and training. Jamie brings extensive expertise in recipe development and has led numerous sourdough seminars and professional workshops.
COMPETITION AREA
8:00am – 1:00pm
Day 1 – Bakery Cup of Canada Competition – Group 1
Talented professional bread bakers/pastry chefs, with the help of an assistant, will compete by demonstrating their technical skills and ability to work as a team as they vie to win the Bakery Cup of Canada. The competition, open to bakers across Canada, will celebrate baking excellence in baguettes, croissants, viennoiserie, specialty breads and showpiece construction.
Strict guidelines apply to shape, weight, and baking standards. Teams will have two hours for dough preparation and five hours for shaping, baking, and finishing.
Prizes will be awarded in the following categories:
- Grand prize winner – Trophy, Certificate of Excellence, $1,000 and coverage in Bakers Journal. Opportunity to qualify and compete at Mondial du Pain in France in October 2027!
- Specialty bread category winner – Certificate of Excellence and $500 and coverage in Bakers Journal
- Custom viennoiserie category winner – Certificate of Excellence and $500 and coverage in Bakers Journal
- Showpiece category winner – Certificate of Excellence and $500 and coverage in Bakers Journal
- Outstanding assistant – Certificate of Excellence and $500 and coverage in Bakers Journal
2:00pm – 2:45pm
Presentation and Judging of Bakery Cup of Canada – Group 1
A panel of expert judges evaluated the products based on technical execution, taste, texture, and presentation.
Deadline to register: Nov. 30, 2025
5:00pm – 8:00pm
BAC Legacy Awards Soiree
Presented by Baking Association of Canada
The Baking Association of Canada will present its first Legacy Awards to Sylvie Cholette, Paul Futtrup and John McColl at a networking soiree taking place on Sunday, May 3, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Chop Steakhouse and Bar near the Toronto Congress Centre during Bakery Showcase.
Attendees are invited to unwind, reconnect and share stories with colleagues from across the country, will be even more special this year as the BAC bestows its first BAC Legacy Awards.
Our recipients, Sylvie, Paul and John, will be honoured for their achievements and decades of service at a special soiree. There is a limited number of tickets available for this evening event. Register now at baking.ca!
DAY 2 – Monday, May 4, 2026
EDUCATION SESSIONS AREA
9:00am – 9:45am
Panel: Delectable Dessert Trends
Innovative chefs share how they take their most successful desserts from conception to execution to plating presentation, what customers seek in a dessert and what trends they see taking off.
Presenters:
Hans Suarez, Quails’ Gate Winery
Hans Suarez is a pastry chef based in Kelowna with over a decade of experience in hospitality and seven years specializing in pastry. He is the Head Pastry Chef at Quails’ Gate Winery in Kelowna and was previously the opening Executive Pastry Chef at The Dorian, Autograph Collection—Calgary’s only Michelin Key Guide hotel. His work focuses on chocolate, refined plated desserts, and modern fine pastry, with an emphasis on technique, balance, and thoughtful flavour combinations.
Ryan Mallin, RPM Bakehouse at Pearl Morissette
Ryan Mallin is a Canadian baker and educator that has worked at the intersection of craft, agriculture, and sustainable food systems for the last 10 years. Ryan completed his baking apprenticeship in Niagara-on-the-Lake, where close relationships with local growers and an abundance of seasonal fruit shaped his early approach to ingredient-driven baking and the idea of seasonality.
He spent four years on Prince Edward Island in a farm-to-table restaurant, gaining hands-on experience with local sourcing, waste reduction, and the realities of small, community-based food systems. Ryan currently works at RPM Bakehouse. RPM Bakehouse works directly with grain growers and millers to reintroduce landrace wheat varietals that support climate resilience while improving flavour and nutritional value. In 2025, Ryan traveled to Italy to showcase RPM Bakehouse pastries at the renowned Ein Prosit, alongside top international chefs in a global culinary collaboration.
As an educator Ryan’s work focuses on practical decision-making in bakery operations. He is committed to helping future bakers and food professionals understand sustainability as an integrated, real-world practice grounded in both craft and business realities.
Joanne Yolles, Pastry Chef and Instructor, Scaramouche/Fenton’s Food Shop
oanne Yolles’ outstanding career as a professional pastry chef began to take shape almost 40 years ago in San Francisco, where she attended classes at the celebrated Tante Marie’s Cooking School. Returning to her hometown of Toronto, she landed her first job as a pastry chef at Fenton’s Food Shop, located next to the much-lauded Fenton’s Restaurant. For 11 years she was pastry chef at Scaramouche, the beloved fine-dining institution, where she became well known for her delicious desserts. Joanne was considered a trailblazer at the time because most restaurants didn’t have a full-time pastry chef role. To this day, Chef Yolles’s famous coconut cream pie is the restaurant’s best-selling menu item. After an 11-year run at Scaramouche, Joanne took time off to start a family and eventually returned to the culinary scene as the head pastry chef at the popular Pangaea restaurant, where her innovative desserts were celebrated and recognized by patrons and critics alike.
In 2010, Chef Yolles turned her talents to teaching in the Baking and Pastry Arts Program at George Brown College where she was an instructor for more than a decade. Her work has been recognized in many publications; she was included in Post City Magazine’s list of “Seven Culinary Greats That Changed It All.” In 2022, Joanne appeared as one of the celebrity judges on Food Network Canada’s hit TV series, Wall of Bakers.
She teaches small classes in her home kitchen, sharing recipes, tips and tricks.
10:00am – 10:45am
Panel: Farmer-Miller-Baker Summit in the City
Farmers, small-scale millers and artisan bakers share their experiences, learnings, priorities, challenges and rewards in working with freshly milled, locally sourced flours. Learn to elevate your bakery’s products with the nutrition, texture, and quality today’s customers crave. Discover the unique characteristics and benefits of sustainably sourced, freshly milled, local flours. Connect with fellow bakers on the grains-to-table journey, exchanging insights on farming practices, grain processing, artisanal baking and consumer engagement.
Moderator: Colleen Cross, Editor, Bakers Journal
Panellists:
Mark Hayhoe, Founder, k2MILLING
Mark Hayhoe is the founder of k2MILLING in Tottenham, Ont., which uses a unique cold-milling process designed to produce many different flours including spelt, rye, barley, corn, buckwheat, hemp, flax, sunflower, blueberry, cranberry and five classes of wheat flour.
Mark started his career in 1991, working with his father, owner of Hayhoe Mills in Woodbridge, Ont., a business started by Mark’s grandfather, Harold Hayhoe in 1935. Mark lives on a farm in Schomberg called Domaine du Red Tail where organic grain crops are grown.
After Hayhoe Mills was sold to P&H Milling Group in 2007, Mark operated K2 Milling, which he founded in 2004. The mill’s unique design retains flavour and produces a very silky flour for multiple food uses. Energy to run the mill is produced on site.
In 2021 head miller Bryan King purchased the milling business. Though officially retired, Mark still stays connected to the mill. The mill’s eko flour is free from herbicides, fungicides and synthetic fertilizer. They visit their partner farms to ensure they are building healthy soil, respecting and honouring the comprehensive ecology of the farm within it’s local habitat. They age the flour naturally without voluntary additives.
His family’s motto is “cultivate and elevate.”
Eleanor McGrath, Springfield Farm
M. Eleanor McGrath is the co-owner and president of Springfield Farm, a Certified Organic family operation located in Apple Hill, Ont., which produces hard red winter wheat and oat flour. Since 2011, she and husband Finbarr McCarthy have developed the farm into a market garden and a unique agritourism destination. Her leadership in the agricultural sector includes serving as an executive member of the Glengarry Soil and Crop Association and on the board of the Culinary Tourism Alliance. McGrath has shared her expertise at the International Workshop on Agritourism and received an honorary diploma for her contributions to the industry. They are members of the Canadian Organic Growers, Ontario Farmers Association, EFAO and Regeneration Canada. Beyond farming, she is a graduate student in history, a filmmaker and a former fundraising professional.
Cindy Feng and Novell Fallar, Tito Toronto bakery
Tito Toronto is a brand that was founded by two passionate bakers: Cindy Feng and Novell Fallar. Cindy and Novell met in a bakery working a full-time job. Outside of work, they bonded in the kitchen doing R&D. They love reading books and testing out recipes – it’s their idea of fun. They also love connecting with local farmers and suppliers and sourcing their ingredients from them. Their levain, “Tito” (the Filipino word for uncle) was born in 2019 in Toronto. It’s a hardworking and temperamental starter that naturally leavens our loaves. They sell their sourdough, croissants and other baked products at their local farmers’ market full time and occasionally host classes and events.
Daniel Angus, Owner, Terroir Bakery Inc.
Terroir Bakery is the passion project of award-winning Chef Daniel Angus, who served as Executive Sous Chef at the Michelin-recommended Langdon Hall Country House Hotel & Spa near Cambridge, Ont.
Dan is passionate about connecting with local farmers and food producers in the area showcasing biodynamic, organic and sustainable foods and the best local ingredients. His business uses only Canadian ingredients and he loves to educate customers about the farmers and millers Terroir works with.
11:00am – 11:45am
BOB Essentials: A Starter Guide to Opening Your Bakery
Before you open your doors, you need a roadmap. Inspired by the Retail Bakers of America’s Business of Baking program, this session breaks down the essential concepts every new bakery owner should understand, offering a clear aerial view of planning, operations, and strategy. We’ll also highlight how industry associations – like the Baking Association of Canada and the Retail Bakers of America – provide guidance, community, and resources that help new bakeries launch with confidence.
In just 45 minutes, we’ll walk through the key considerations of opening a bakery—from business models and layout choices to staffing, workflow, and everyday realities—so you leave with a grounded understanding of what it truly takes to get started.
Presenters:
Kimberly Houston
Kimberly Houston is a pastry chef, educator and business coach dedicated to strengthening the retail baking industry through education, standards, and strategic growth. She serves as Member Experience Director for the Retail Bakers of America, where she leads member engagement, educational initiatives, and industry programming nationwide.
In addition to her work with RBA, Kimberly is a business strategist for bakery owners and culinary professionals, helping them build sustainable, profitable businesses rooted in clarity, systems, and long-term vision. She is also the founder of Teach Me How to Bake™, a baking education company focused on skill-based learning and professional development.
Scott Calvert
Scott Calvert is the Business Strategies Manager for the Retail Bakers of America (RBA), where he leads strategic initiatives to elevate independent retail bakeries and strengthen the organization’s visibility at major industry events like IBIE. An innovative bakery owner of The Cake Plate & Tootie Pie Co. in Austin, Texas, Scott brings deep firsthand experience across retail, wholesale, and industrial baking to his role. Prior to joining RBA’s staff, he served as RBA Board President, offering authentic insight and leadership that empowers members and industry partners alike
1:00pm – 1:45pm
Educational Talk (sponsorship available)
2:00pm – 2:45pm
Canada’s Independent Retail Bakery Leaders: A National Panel of Vision, Craftsmanship and Entrepreneurial Success
This dynamic panel brings together some of Canada’s most influential artisan bakery owners for an inspiring, forward‑looking conversation. This session explores how independent bakeries are redefining quality, scaling creativity, and navigating the evolving retail landscape. Attendees will hear candid insights on growth strategies, operational resilience, community‑driven branding and the craft that anchors it all. Whether you’re an emerging baker or an established operator, this panel offers practical wisdom and fresh perspective on building a thriving, future‑ready bakery business.
Moderator: Marissa Sertich, Retail Bakers of America
Panellists:
Kate Cram, Old Town Bakery
Kate Cram is a chef and business owner with 27 years of entrepreneurial experience. She graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and is a Canadian Red Seal Baker as well as a Registered Holistic Nutritionist. Currently, she operates Old Town Bakery, a retail bakery, Wild Poppy Market, a 100-per-cent gluten-free establishment providing take-out meals and gluten-free baked goods. As well as Cold Front Gelato, an artisanal gelateria that specializes in using local ingredients and traditional methods.
Junelle Casalon, Co-Owner, Caste & Coal, Toronto
Castle & Coal is a neighbourhood baked good shop that offers pastries and desserts that changes with the availability of seasonal products and produce in Ontario. Chef Junelle Casalan is the co-owner and pastry chef. She graduated from the Culinary Management Program at George Brown and developed her skills working in various fine dining restaurants abroad before opening up her shop, Castle &b Coal with her husband, Aaron.
David Baxter, Owner, Circles and Squares Bakery
David Baxter is the president and owner of Circles and Squares Bakery, a business he has grown over the last 20 years from a Toronto-based wholesale provider into a multifaceted retail brand. The company operates multiple retail cafés and features a diverse range of specialized divisions, including its savoury kitchen, Feast, artisanal bread team producing sourdough and specialty buns. Beyond its daily retail and wholesale operations supplying prominent Toronto coffee houses, the bakery also offers catering services for events.
Circles & Squares won top honours at the 2025 Ontario’s Best Butter Tart Festival, after placing among the top competitors in previous years.
In 2020, Baxter expanded the business’s reach by establishing a large-scale manufacturing facility in Cobourg, Ont., to produce baked goods for grocery retailers in Canada and the U.S.
3:00pm – 3:45pm
Educational Talk (sponsorship available)
DEMONSTRATION AREA
12:15pm – 1:00pm
Is It Cake? The Art of Crafting Hyper-Realistic Edible Details
Go behind the illusion as celebrated cake artist and TV personality April Julian demonstrates techniques for hyper-realistic edible details, transforming cake into lifelike objects, with practical tips, a live demonstration and an interactive audience Q&A session.
Presenter:
April Julian
April Julian is a Filipino-Canadian cake artist and TV personality known for hyper-realistic cakes artistry featured on Netflix’ Is it Cake? and as a head judge Food Network’s Bake Master Battle.
1:30pm – 2:15pm
Demonstration: Le Pain au Chocolate
Join Julien Bruyer as he presents a variation of Modern Pain au Chocolate, featuring new flavours and designs to elevate this amazing product. You will learn stencil print design, bicolour technique, shapes and scoring. Bring a notebook and your appetite for buttery samples!
Presenter:
Julien Bruyer, R&D Director, Ace Bakery (FGF Brands)
Julien Bruyer is one of three skilled members of Team Canada, who won the Americas Selection of the Coupe du monde de la boulangerie in Las Vegas and competed in the finals in Paris to place fifth in the world.
2:45pm – 3:30pm
Demonstration: How to Make Award-Winning Pizza
Join Canadian Pizza magazine’s Chef of the Year Bart Nadherny as he kneads, stretches, tops, bakes and serves his delicious signature pizza from Son of a Peach Pizzeria (and sister shop Sunshine Doughnuts) in Burlington, Ont.
Learn advanced pizza techniques, how to achieve balance and key considerations when adding pizza to your bakery-café menu! Bring your appetite!
Presenter:
Bart Nadherny, Co-Owner and Head Chef, Son of a Peach Pizzeria
Bart Nadherny has owned and operated Son of a Peach Pizzeria and Sunshine Doughnut Co. since 2013. Bart is a multi-award-winning pizza chef, having been named 2024 runner-up and 2025 Canadian Pizza Chef of the Year at the Canadian Pizza Summit.
Bart earned a masters degree in slow food from the Instituto Superiore di Gastronomia (Jesi) in Bologna, Italy, and received his associate of science degree in Culinary Arts from the Culinary Institute of America.
COMPETITION AREA
8:00am – 1:00am
Day 2 – Bakery Cup of Canada Competition – Group 2
Talented professional bread bakers/pastry chefs, with the help of their assistants, will compete by demonstrating their technical skills and ability to work as a team as they vie to win the Bakery Cup of Canada. The competition, open to bakers across Canada, will celebrate baking excellence in baguettes, croissants, viennoiserie, specialty breads and showpiece construction.
Strict guidelines apply to shape, weight, and baking standards. Teams will have two hours for dough preparation and five hours for shaping, baking, and finishing.
Prizes will be awarded in the following categories:
- Grand prize winner – Trophy, Certificate of Excellence, $1,000 and coverage in Bakers Journal. Opportunity to qualify and compete at Mondial du Pain in France in October 2027!
- Specialty bread category winner – Certificate of Excellence and $500 and coverage in Bakers Journal
- Custom viennoiserie category winner – Certificate of Excellence and $500 and coverage in Bakers Journal
- Showpiece category winner – Certificate of Excellence and $500 and coverage in Bakers Journal
- Outstanding assistant – Certificate of Excellence and $500 and coverage in Bakers Journal
2:00pm – 2:45pm
Presentation and Judging of Bakery Cup of Canada – Group 2
A panel of expert judges evaluated the products based on technical execution, taste, texture, and presentation.
3:00pm
Winners of Bakery Cup Announced
Meet the Competitors!
Anthony Guy, Baker / Pastry Chef, Range Road (Rge Rd), and assistant Dustin LaRue, Baker / Pastry Chef, Nero
Casimir Belleau, Chef / Baker, Boulangerie Farine, Alma, Que., and assistant Olivier Billette, Chef / Baker
Florent Lehmann, Le Duo Choc, Candiac, Que. (Montreal), and assistant Félix Jeandot, Le Duo Choc, Candiac, Que. (Montreal)
Ilynna Lam, Baker / Pastry Chef, XIX Nineteen, St. Albert, Alta., and assistant Aidria Quilty, Baking and Pastry Student, NAIT, Edmonton, Alta.
Your Emcee for the Bakery Cup:
Tracey Muzzolini, Co-Owner, Christies Bakery and Il Secondo, Saskatoon, Sask.
Your host and guide on the competition floor is Tracey Muzzolini, co-owner of Christies Bakery in Saskatoon, and judge on Wall of Bakers, who brings years of experience to her role as a pioneering baker in the baguette and specialty breads category and member of Team Canada who earned second place at the Coupe du monde de la boulangerie in 2007.
Tracey Muzzolini was born into the baking business in Saskatoon, and spent her childhood happily covered in flour at her parents’ bakery. After travelling extensively in her youth, Tracey had the opportunity to work with Chef Susur Lee in Toronto, and then later to study under world-class bakers at the Bread Bakers Guild of America, which ignited her passion for quality food.
In the early 2000s she, along with her brother Blair, returned to Saskatoon to take over Christies Bakery and Il Secondo. Blending traditional methods with cutting-edge techniques, Tracey is proud to offer high-quality European baking, Napoletana-style pizza, and beautifully crafted pastries to the prairies of Saskatoon.
Enjoy expert commentary from Tracey, who is passionate about traditional baking methods and believes in sharing her knowledge to help keep the baking profession alive.
Your Competition Manager:
Raphael Thuaux, PACC, Lester B. Pearson School Board, Montreal
Devoir. After five years of work-study apprenticeship, Raphael travelled to Quebec in 2011, Australia in 2013, the United States in 2015, and finally settled permanently in Montreal in 2017.
He started teaching in 2022 at PACC for the Lester B. Pearson School Board.
In 2024, he represented Canada at the Chocolatine World Cup.
Meet Our Esteemed Judges
Head Judge and Mentor to All Competitors:
Alan Dumonceaux, Academic Chair for Baking and Pastry Arts, at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, Edmonton, Alta.
Alan Dumonceaux is the Academic Chair for Baking and Pastry Arts at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, a director and education committee chair for the Baking Association of Canada and a Skills Canada World Expert.
Alan has taught and organized many workshops on advanced baking and pastry skills, notably sourdough and lamination and written articles for Bakers Journal on highly technical topics.
He has competed internationally as part of Team Canada at the Coupe du monde de la boulangerie, placing second in 2007, and coached numerous teams to success, including the recent Team Canada who won the Americas Selection of the Coupe du monde and placed fifth at the Coupe du monde finals in Paris in 2026.
Sabine Heinrich-Kumar, Professor Baking and Pastry Arts, Conestoga College, Kitchener, Ont.
Since September 2020, Sabine Heinrich-Kumar has served as the baking and pastry arts professor and coordinator at Conestoga College in Waterloo, Ont.
Sabine gained expertise in pastry, baking and sugar arts through education in Germany and global work experience in Europe, Middle East, Asia and North America. Her extensive work experience includes roles at Paris Pastries Ltd. (ARZ Bakery) in Toronto, as pastry plant and production manager, Beiruti Gourmet LLC in Toronto, as vice-president of Operations, MVH – Restaurant in London, U.K., as a pastry chef, and Demel K. U. K. Hofzuckerbäcker in Vienna, Austria, as a confectioner. She has worked alongside and learned from Chef Pierre Gagnaire and Chef Gary Rhodes, among other respected chefs.
Sabine recently mentored and accompanied a student bakers to Milan, Italy, to compete in the Juniors Pastry World Cup, where they earned the Scintilla Creativa Award for professionalism.
On the role travel has played in her skills development, Sabine says: “My path was always to search for the most challenging and exciting opportunities. Starting to travel early on gave me so many experiences I would have never had staying in one place. Staying in touch with the industry and skill development with the competitions keeps me relevant in my position.”
Roland Hofner, Coordinator and Instructor, Baking and Pastry Arts Management, Fanshawe College, London, Ont.
Chef Roland has 30 years’ experience and has done just about everything there is to do in the field from working in bakeries, catering companies, on an exclusive cruise ship, at five-star hotels, and opening his European-based Canadian Restaurant Café in Europe, and also owning a locally renowned bakery and pastry shop in London. Hofner joined Fanshawe College part-time in 1997 as a culinary instructor and was hired full time as pastry chef in 2007. In 2017, he created and launched a two-year baking and pastry arts management program.
In 1998, Roland received his Canadian Journeyman Red Seal certification through the ministry of training, colleges and universities. He has worked and learned under Chef Albert Schnell, Toronto Hilton Harbour Castle; Chef Mike McFadden, Humber College; Chef John Higgens, King Edward Hotel; Chef Hubert Keller, Fleur De Lys Restaurant, San Francisco; and Chef Michael Smith, Prince Edward Island.
His culinary honours include a gold medal for chocolate showpiece at the International Food and Wine Show in Toronto in 1983, the best of show award at the Chocolate Show and best restaurant in Noerdlingen, Germany 1993, Dessert Champion, Battle of the Hors D’oeuvres, London (1996-2004), and has coached many students to top finishes at culinary and baking competitions.
David Nolan, Pastry and Baking Instructor in the Professional Baking and Pastry Arts, Vancouver Island University, Nanaimo, B.C.
David Nolan is a Pastry and Baking Instructor in the Professional Baking and Pastry Arts program at Vancouver Island University. A Red Seal Baker and Red Seal Cook, David brings over 30 years of experience to the baking industry and a deep passion for teaching.
His culinary journey began at the age of 14 washing dishes in a small family-run restaurant in Brantford, Ont. After graduating from the Niagara Culinary Institute, David joined Fairmont Hotels, working in the Canadian Rockies and at the iconic Empress Hotel in Victoria, BC. During his time at the Empress, he began teaching pastry instruction part-time at VIU, sparking a lifelong commitment to education.
David’s career then took him to Ritz-Carlton Hotels, where he served as Executive Pastry Chef in Montego Bay, Jamaica; Tysons Corner, Virginia (Washington, D.C.); and Lake Oconee, Georgia. These roles allowed him to refine his skills in high-end hospitality and lead pastry teams in diverse, international settings.
Returning to Canada in 2011, David joined VIU as a Pastry Chef Instructor in the Culinary Arts program. In 2021, he transitioned full-time to the Professional Baking program, where he focuses on helping students master fundamentals, develop precision, and build confidence in their craft.
Thorsten Pannek, Professor, Baking and Pastry Arts Management, George Brown Polytechnic and Humber Polytechnic, Toronto, Ont.
Thorsten Pannek is Professor of Baking and Pastry Arts Management at George Brown Polytechnic and Humber Polytechnic, Toronto, Ont.
Chef Thor is a German-trained baker who is specialized in organic and whole grain baking. Thorsten has been teaching the artisan bread baking program at George Brown Polytechnic for 16 years and at Humber Polytech for eight years. He also has held positions at Wholefoods bakery for more than 10 years.
Location
Toronto Congress Centre
North Building 1020 Martin Grove Rd, Etobicoke, ON
Parking is FREE!
Accommodations
Delta Hotels by Marriott Toronto Airport
655 Dixon Rd, Etobicoke, ON
Conveniently located just minutes from Toronto Pearson Airport, and right across the road from the Toronto Congress Centre!
Book early and save! Bakery Showcase room rate is $195+. Reduced price ends Thursday, April 09, 2026
Alt Hotel Toronto Airport
6080 Viscount Road, Mississauga, L4V 0A1
Parking will be at a discounted rate of
$10.00+Tax per day
Cancellation policy is 72 hours.
Cut-off date April 27th.
Book you room clicking here
Exhibitors
Interested in Exhibiting?
Close up of flower cake in the cafe. 
Close up of flower cake in the cafe. 
Bunch of assorted freshly baked bread loaves with different shapes and baguettes placed on shelves against wooden background in light studio 
Fresh croissant cooling rack in pastry factory 
Cakes on the counter in the store
Sponsors
Platinum Sponsor
No logos foundBronze Sponsor
No logos foundLanyard Sponsor
On Site Registration Sponsor
Session Sponsors
Delegate Bags Sponsor
Badge Sponsor
Demo Sponsor
Bakery Cup Sponsors
Platinum Sponsor
Gold Sponsor
Bronze Sponsor
Ingredient Sponsor
Pan Sponsor
Presented by
MEMBERSHIP
Membership in the Baking Association of Canada is open to all Canadian bakers, large and small, who are currently conducting (or planning) business in the Canadian marketplace, as well as affiliate suppliers of goods and services and individual tradespeople.
- Advocate & Champion Bakery Industry Competitiveness
- Discounted access to the Bakery Showcase & Chapter Events
- Expert assistance and latest resources support your business
- Invest in Talent Attraction & Development
- Savings with insurance and group RRSPs
Our Mission Statement: BAC Unites the Canadian Baking Community!
