The owner of Dunns Bakery in Crouch End has been crowned London's Bread Hero in a national competition.
The virtual World Bread Awards ceremony last Tuesday (October 19) saw Lewis Freeman take home both Wright’s flour award for innovation and London Tiptree world bread awards hero with Brook Food 2021.
Proud winner Lewis told the Ham&High: "It's amazing, I can't believe it. We would have been happy with one, never mind both awards.
"I'm so grateful for the amazing team at Dunns who have worked so hard throughout the pandemic. We're all delighted."
The bakery has been at the centre of the Crouch End community for decades, and Lewis is the sixth-generation baker to run the family business.
Last year Dunns celebrated 200 years since Lewis' great-great-great grandfather Robert Freeman opened the first family business in Highgate Hill in 1820.
Lewis, who was raised and still lives in Crouch End, knew at 15 that he would join the team. By 11 he was helping his dad in the bakery and as a teen he spent every Sunday in the shop.
The World Bread Awards praised the owner's innovation during the pandemic, which saw the bakery launch a bicycle delivery service to ensure its survival.
Every day, six days a week, Dunns made about 100 deliveries of freshly baked goods by e-bike to feed north west London.
Demand was so high for the bakery's fresh bread that at the end of last year Lewis opened a second branch in Muswell Hill, seeing the business grow from a staff of 45 to 65.
The awards also recognised the bakery's commitment to supporting the local community. To date, Lewis has donated more than 10,000 loaves of bread and packs of hot cross buns to organisations including the Shoreditch Trust, First Love Foundation, Muswell Hill Food Bank, Hornsey YMCA and St Peter in Chains Crouch End.
In August the bakery's support of food banks during lockdown earned it The Lord Mayor’s Livery Covid-19 award.
Dunns is a member of the Craft Bakers Association and gives work experience opportunities to pupils from local secondary schools.
It supports National Doughnut Week and the annual YMCA fun run, and it raises money for the Children’s Trust.
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