WINNING this year’s national title of Baker of the Year is the icing on the cake for Mark Bennett.

The managing director of Patisserie Mark Bennett in Poole, won the prestigious accolade after branching out into artisan breads and launching a small chain of shops in just two years.

He was presented with the award by comedy star Hugh Dennis who hosted the 2014 Baking Industry Awards at the Park Lane Hilton in London on Wednesday evening.

Mark said afterwards: “We couldn’t believe it when they announced my name. It’s still sinking in to be honest. I’m thinking about making a speciality loaf to mark the occasion.”

The secret of his success, he says, is having a strong team around him and quality products.

He already has 100 gold medals to his name and won both the regional and South of England heats in ITV’s Britain’s Best Bakery in 2012.

Mark who has notched up 31 years in the business and has dreams of setting up his own school, is the third generation of bakers.

His parents run the renowned Bennetts’ Family Bakers chain which was first established in 1951.

In January 1986, he became British Champion for Wedding and Birthday Cakes and was chosen to decorate the wedding cake for the Duke and Duchess of York.

In December 2011, along with his wife and their eldest son Jamie, he formed Patisserie Mark Bennett Ltd and opened his first patisserie in Penn Hill followed by the Lilliput patisserie in November 2012 and Ashley Cross earlier this year.

Martyn Leek, editor of British Baker said: “The Baking Industry Awards represent the pinnacle of bakery in the UK and all of the finalists are to be applauded for their dedication, their skills and their products or services. They have worked hard, some of them for a lifetime, to reach this pinnacle.”