Scott Megee.
WHEN he started baking, Scott Megee never thought he'd one day be representing the nation.
The 39 year old will compete in Germany today at the IBA awards, an international baking competition held every three years.
What's remarkable is that the Cockatoo resident, who teaches baking at the Holmesglen Institute of TAFE, has been in the craft for only about four years.
Mr Megee originally trained as a commercial chef and spent more than a decade in the field before going into teaching at Holmesglen, during which time he decided to re-qualify as a baker.
"I've always had a passion for bread," he says.
"Then I started teaching baking and while I was doing that, I started competing overseas and learning."
In 2009, the International Specialised Skills Institute awarded Mr Megee a $10,000 fellowship to research grain and rye breads in Belgium and the US.
Although this year's competition will be his third trip overseas, he says it's still an honour.
"You're always nervous about putting your skills against the rest of the world and hopefully coming out on top.
"Because of my chefing background, it enables me to come up with creative flavour combinations because in cookery we're taught about flavour, combinations and textures not necessarily in baking. So I think that gives me an advantage."
Mr Megee and his teammate Shayne Greenman will be one of 12 teams who will be judged over three days on their baking skills.
In new kitchens with unfamiliar flour, Mr Megee will have 7½ hours to make a variety of Danish, bread and other bakery items.
It's a tough task, but it's one they know they're up to. "The last practice we did, we had three minutes to spare in the seven and a half hours," he says.
Despite his successes, Mr Megee is modest.
"I hesitate to call myself good. I think I've just been in the right place at the right time. I love to learn, so I think that just puts me in a good place to be where I am."