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A week in the life of Technical Advisor Morgan Clementson

27 Sep 2017

Article

Morgan Clementson is the most recent recruit of the Puratos team of Technical Advisors for Bakery. To give us an insight in her job, Morgan captured two weeks of work in pictures and words.

From Australia to Belgium

Morgan was 32 when she was awarded an Overseas Foundation Scholarship by the Australian government. This enabled her to travel to Belgium and complete a traineeship at Puratos. She fit the team perfectly and succeeded in securing a position as International Technical Advisor for Bakery. “It wasn’t easy to leave my family, the sunshine and the beaches behind. But the level of expertise in Europe far surpasses that of Australia, so in order to gain skills and improve my knowledge the move was essential for my professional development.”

“Without the opportunity that Puratos has given me, I would have never been able to grow so much creatively, emotionally, and professionally in such a short time.”

Meanwhile, Morgan has embraced the Belgian lifestyle. She supports the national soccer team, the Belgian Red Devils, takes lessons in French, and enjoys cycling and exploring the country on the weekends.

Busy working weeks

Morgan’s working weeks are filled with workshops, customer visits, and photo shoots for new and existing products. And all these activities require preparation and research. “But it’s so rewarding to see the happiness that baking can bring into everyone’s life,” Morgan says. “It’s a skill that many people enjoy and I’m lucky to be able to facilitate programmes that teach people about the world of baking.”

“The travelling weeks are great. It’s a highlight of my job to actually see the customers react to the final products. I really like it when the products come out of the oven and customers are so eager that they immediately start taking photos and simply can’t wait to taste the breads. It gives me satisfaction that I can share my baking skills and creativity with people from all over the world.”

Two weeks of workshops in China

In July 2017, Morgan visited three major cities in China to give ‘Master Salons’; inspirational, in-depth, and hands on customer workshops at local Puratos locations. “It required a lot of preparation, as all the recipes used in the training were my own developments,” Morgan says. “It was quite a challenge to ensure all the equipment and ingredients were available in all three locations at the right time, but we managed!”

Master Salon in Guangzhou

The first Master Salon took place in Guangzhou, where Morgan spent three days in total: one day of preparation and two days of customer workshops. “These workshops at the headquarters of Puratos China involved showing customers how to make O-tentic decoration breads, Mimetic laminated dough and various soft and sweet breads.”

“The atmosphere at these workshops is normally really relaxed, pleasant, collaborative, and open. Whenever I give training around the world I try to do one picture at the end of the workshop where I ask everyone to throw their bread in the air. This captures the spirit of the day perfectly.”

From Guangzhou to Shanghai

From Guangzhou, Morgan flew to Shanghai. Although she had the Saturday off, she couldn’t help herself and visited some local bakeries “It’s a great feeling to enter a bakery in another country. The atmosphere, the smell, the people; it’s a unique experience everywhere you go. It’s also very helpful for inspiration and putting myself in our customer’s shoes.”  

On Sunday it was time to fine-tune the two days’ workshop ahead. The workshop, held at the Shanghai Innovations Center, was attended by both artisanal and industrial bakers. “No matter how experienced the baker, there is always something they can take away from the workshop and learn from me. And vice versa of course.”

A challenging trip from Shanghai to Beijing

After three days in Shanghai, Morgan travelled to Beijing: the last stop on her China -trip. “Due to weather conditions, the flight to Beijing was cancelled at the very last minute, and unfortunately I was separated from my toolbox that was already checked-in. It’s always an adventure travelling in China. This time I had to improvise by taking the fast train, navigating my way through the crowds, at a searing 38 degrees! But that’s just all part of the game.”

The workshop in the Beijing Innovation Center was great. Loads of new recipes were made. Like, for example, the Deluxe Danish, a Danish pastry made with Mimetic 20, S500, and Cremfil Ultim. “The pictures show some of the magic that happens, when you provide a group of creative minds with an ingredient like O-tentic. It is amazing what you can achieve together, regardless of language barriers or cultural differences.” 

Interested to know how our technical advisors can support your business? Contact your local Puratos representative :

Morgan’s favourite ingredient

''As my focus is on sourdough, I like to include Sprouted Rye from Estonia in my recipes. It adds a special caramelised flavour and helps improve the nutritional value of breads and pastries.''