Among the awards presented at the event, the People’s Choice award was the only one voted on by the public ahead of IBIE and focused on a bakery rather than a baked good. This year’s winner was The Flour Girl Bakery, based in Hebron, CT.
“I just opened my bakery in March,” said Michelle Nicholson, owner of The Flour Girl Bakery. “I started off my front porch three years ago during the pandemic and it’s grown into this. I am totally excited to be here. I’m standing next to people who I follow on Instagram, my bread heroes, and I have an award with them. It’s amazing.”
One of the bakers who won multiple awards from the night was Johann Willar, executive head baker at the Wynn Hotel. He won in the Challah and Pretzel category and was runner-up in several more. Following the awards, Willar shared that this was his first time entering in the Tiptree World Bread Awards, noting how proud he was at what he’d accomplished that evening.
“It’s very rare for bread bakers to make their own bread in casinos,” Willar said. “We are the only ones on the Strip that make our own bread. I want people to come to the Wynn and us to be known for our bread.”
The list of winners is as follows:
Overall Winner
Glorious Bastard
By Guy Frenkel, Céor (Sante Fe Springs, CA)
Home-Baker
Sprouted Wheat with Figs and Pecan Loaf
By Richard Sperry (Salt Lake City, UT)
Specialty Sweet
Pistachio and Cherry Panettone
By Diego Cubas, Wynn Las Vegas, F&B Encore (Las Vegas Valley, NV)
Speciality Savory
Forbidden Rice and Sesame Loaf
By Sandeep Gyawali, Miche Bread (Austin, TX)
Gluten-Free
Rye-less Rye Buckwheat Sourdough
By Mario Librandi, Vegan Mario’s (Oakview, CA)
Pretzel
Bayern Pretzel
By Johann Willar, Wynn Las Vegas (Las Vegas, NV)
Challah
Leavened Challah
By Johann Willar, Wynn Las Vegas (Las Vegas, NV)
Bagel
Jerusalem Bagel
By Khawla Khalifa, Le Paton (Rancho Cucamonga, CA)
Flatbread
Pane Alla Pala
By Michael Kalanty, produced for Delfina Restaurants (San Francisco, CA)
Burger Bun
Heirloom Brioche Buns
By Guy Frenkel, Céor (Sante Fe Springs, CA)
Ciabatta
Pane Alla Pala
By Michael Kalanty, produced for Delfina Restaurants (San Francisco, CA)
Baguette
Traditional Baguette
By Stephane Grattier, Boulangerie Christophe (Georgetown, Washington DC)
Wholewheat/ Wholemeal
Hill Country Hundo
By Sandeep Gyawali, Miche Bread (Austin, TX)
Sourdough
Glorious Bastard
By Guy Frenkel, Céor Bread (Sante Fe Springs, CA)
People’s Choice
Michelle Nicholson, The Flour Girl (Hebron, CT)
Tiptree Showstopper USA
Brioche Feuilletée
By Rich Gardunia, Crave Kitchen Bar (Eagle, ID)
Annie Hollon contributed reporting.