Life After Great British Bake Off
We all loved Rowan Claughton on the Great British Bake Off, and even more so now as he has created a special concoction for Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Absolutely tucks in…
The 14th series of the Great British Bake Off may have been won by Matty Edgell, but Absolutely was bowled over by Rowan Claughton, the then 21-year-old from Yorkshire, whose bubbly personality and motto of “go big or go home” encapsulated everything that is great about the show.
Early Interest in Baking
He stood out for all the right reasons, and from an early age, he was more than happy to be different.
“I’ve never had an interest that aligned with my peers as a child,” he tells Absolutely. “Whilst everyone was kicking a ball and screaming for their favourite team to win, I was reading cookbooks and absorbing as much information as possible. Whilst they went to the stadiums to support their home team, I went to cooking conventions to learn from the best. That’s not to say I don’t value sport, but I didn’t relate to it like I did with baking. I think forging my own interests away from the crowd meant I developed a really personal connection to my hobby in the same way people feel that connection to sports. My sport just happened to be baking.”
Early Creations
Rowan was barely into his second decade when he started taking his own sport to another level.
“I remember the first proper creation I made myself and it was pretty ambitious for an 11-year-old,” he laughs. “It was a three-tier anniversary cake, all white and decorated with silver pearls. Very regal indeed, and it was a very proud moment for me. It also didn’t collapse on the way to their house, which is always the biggest fear for any baker, even aged 11.”
“I can’t really pinpoint a time when I realised I had a talent, per se,” he adds, “but there was one occasion where I think it clicked for me that I had a knack for baking. I brought a cake to a family event, and I don’t think everyone believed that I had made it. I was flattered that they thought my parents were the cause of the creation, but really, it was little old me putting all that practice to the test.”
Career Crossroads and Great British Bake Off
The hobby remained just that until Rowan found himself at a career crossroads.
“I was in my final year of University, applying for graduate jobs that I didn’t really want, and I felt slightly lost in my future. Did I want to be a writer? A journalist, maybe? I even considered a role in London, and I applied for a job with a little channel called the BBC,” he smiles.
“What I realised was that I wanted to go on Great British Bake Off. I have baked forever, and loved the show since its inception, so I pulled out my phone, sat next to a vase of flowers (to add maturity to my otherwise chaotic Uni house share setting) and recorded my application. The day I was accepted onto the show was the same day the BBC rejected me. It was a rollercoaster of a Friday.”
The BBC’s loss as Rowan brightened up Bake Off.
“I’d describe my experience more generally as exciting, chaotic and fun,” he looks back to last year. “To bake on TV on a set so famous even Ryan Reynolds visited was surreal (I was booted before Ryan came, sadly), but it was the best thing I’ve ever done, and the friends I’ve made along the way have made it all the more worth it.
“I think more personally, my experience was formative, uplifting and affirming. To get on the show is a success in itself, and for my first taste of the real world out of university to be on GBBO has made me so much more confident in my future endeavours. It also made me realise that, actually, I can do the scary things I have often shied away from. Just close your eyes, breathe, and run at any opportunity which shows itself to you – within reason.”
Life-Changing Experience
Has it been a life changer?
“Yes, completely,” he nods. “But less in a career way (which I am lucky to have following my appearance on the show) and more in my personal development. I’ve never felt more secure in who I am, and I have seen a glimpse of a world so different to my normal one. I just feel grateful to have had the opportunity, and I will carry that with me forever.”
Collaboration with Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Rowan has gone on to work with some great brands on different recipes, but a new collaboration perhaps beats the lot. Rowan has agreed to take part in a taste-bud tingling summer campaign with Yorkshire Sculpture Park and its amazing galleries and spaces, all of which are a registered charity and accredited museum. With no time for loafing about, Rowan has been secretly working with YSP to come up with a special bespoke cake that will be baked onsite and sold in the Park’s restaurants and cafes throughout the summer.
“I wanted to get involved because, firstly, how surreal would it be to have one of my creations in a place I’ve visited for years. I’m not too far away, so a trip to the park to see the art and ever-evolving exhibitions have been a Saturday staple since I was young,” Rowan explains the attraction of the partnership. “I then was keen because I wanted to do something completely different to what I have been doing since Bake Off, and to work with the team at YSP to create something tangible for people to enjoy was the perfect pivot.”
And his creation? “An absolutely delicious Yorkshire Tea sponge cake with lemon buttercream and passionfruit curd. All things Yorkshire, all things YSP and with a hint of me and my baking style. A perfect combination.”
Rowan’s Love for Yorkshire
Rowan talks warmly about Yorkshire in general, with one place in particular being deserving of extra praise.
“York just feels so rich to me,” he smiles. “Rich with food, with culture and with amazing people. I might be somewhat biased because I lived there for three years, but it really is a home from home and I find myself drawn to it. I’ll be moving back soon, I hope!”
Future Plans
As well as a potential house move, Rowan is also thinking ahead when it comes to his career.
“I really want to work on something in print. Maybe a food column or some recipe features, anything would be great,” he says about what’s next (and instantly catching the eye of Absolutely’s editor). “It’s a real passion of mine, and being a food writer has been a dream for years. One day.” Rowan Claughton is very much going big.
Special Event at YSP
Rowan Claughton will host a special Afternoon Tea event at YSP on Thursday 1 August 2024 – Yorkshire Day – which will include his special tea sponge, as well as a demonstration and audience Q&A. Booking can be made by calling 01924 832508 or emailing [email protected].
