Lee wins Master Baker awards

Lee is the owner of the Farmhouse Kitchen in Western Road and previously head baker at the Dorchester Hotel in London.

He produces all the bread and rolls and the Farmhouse Kitchen himself and works through the night to do so.

Lee commented: "I entered six different categories and came away with 1st Wholemeal bread, 1st Malted Bread, 2nd in a selection of cakes and bread, and highly commended in the white bread."

The Kent Master Bakers Bread competition is a prestigious event according to Lee's wife Kirsty who runs the business with him.

Kirsty said: "It is a big deal. There were more than 600 loaves there. One of the ones Lee won with was the Harvester and there is going to be a piece about it in our trade magazine, which is quite something.

"I think he was proud, really - as usual, he more than deserved it. He obviously didn't have any feelings he was going to win anything, but I more than make up for that, and I was so, so proud of him. His bread that was there was all hand-moulded and handmade, whereas some of the other entries were made in machines or with improvers. But with Lee, it's all natural ingredients, and he does it all-natural."

Lee's most popular breads in the shop are herb and olive, and sunflower and pumpkin, although Kirsty herself likes rosemary and raisin best.

"It's lovely," she said.

"He is always trying out new things, for instance, he introduced french macaroons in the shop, and he actually entered those into the competition, and even got a special mention in that section."