Off the Kwinana Freeway, in WA’s food manufacturing district, a road trip finds its pit stop. Bakes on Lakes creates all of its baked goods on site, catering to weary travellers and the nearby rural community alike.

Behind the friendly roadside stop is a fully equipped commercial bakery that is well equipped to fill even the emptiest tank with a wide array of made-from-scratch pies, bread rolls, croissants, cakes and cookies. Paired with a gas station, the family-run eating house also offers much needed barista coffee, making this a popular place to pause and refuel.

The talent in the kitchen

Bakes on Lakes employs a total of 23 staff, with the bakery managed by Darren Rowe, a pastry chef with multiple Best Pie in Australia awards under his belt, including a win for Gourmet Pie at the Great Aussie Pie Competition. Darren is also a dab hand at sweet treats, holding a Guinness World Record for the largest chocolate crackle ever made, as well as baking cakes for the Premier of Western Australia. Along with Head Baker Samantha Baldry, also a Bakery Industry award winner, Bakes on Lakes has plenty of talent in the kitchen.

Designing a commercial bakery for high-volume production

For Managing Director David Hobby, the location was a winner too, with both the freeway and the Nambeelup food district close by. The building was two years in construction, during which time he consulted with Darren on the specification of machinery needed for efficient, high-quality and high quantity baking. Leaning on his wealth of experience in previous roles, Darren advised Bakes on Lakes to go with Moffat for their automated bulk bakery machinery.

To meet their needs, Moffat brought in Bakery sales representative Kirsty Thompson and Food Service sales representative Quentin Phillips to help select the ovens, provers, mixers, moulders and pastry equipment needed. Moffat then assisted in the set-up stage of the operation, installing all the equipment and ensuring everything was in place and operating well for opening day. “We are a fast-paced business that couldn’t operate without quality machinery, with everything from mince meats for meat pies and sausage rolls made from fresh produce and from scratch,” says David, adding that reviews from customers have been heartfelt and positive.

In the kitchen: mixing, shaping and proving

Working with dough and pastry involves a good deal of labour, which is made easier with top-notch equipment. Bakes on Lakes uses a Rondo compass dough sheeter, with mixing helped by a Spiroforce 120kg spiral mixer and a Varimixer Bear planetary mixer. Dough is worked using a Versatile bread moulder, the Paramount 18 tray retarder provers RP1RS, and a Paramount dough divider 16 square chamber DIV20, with loaves sliced easily using the Paramount bread slicer.

Baking at speed and at volume

Baking is quick and efficient thanks to the installation of a Merrychef e2s high speed oven, a Convotherm 10 tray combi oven + stand, and a Turbofan convection oven and stand. High volume is achieved with the Rotel 3 deck 3 split 24 tray oven, and a Tagliavini electric rotating single rack oven RT810E-DT, along with 20, 30 and 36 tray double racks.

Hot meals, cold water and a clean finish

Hot meals are rustled up quickly with the Waldorf single pan fryer, the 900mm gas griddle bench model GP8900G-B, and a 600mm gas cooktop. Frying and braising is eased by the installation of a Waldorf 1200mm gas tilting bratt pan and Waldorf 900mm gas cooktop, while the Thermogel 100L water chiller and electric water doser/mixer provides cooled water on tap, essential for baking and serving. When the day is done, a Washtech XU undercounter dishwasher and a PW3 wide body passthrough dishwasher make light work of the dishes.

At a glance

• Venue: Bakes on Lakes, a family-run eating house paired with a gas station, off the Kwinana Freeway, WA
• Build time: two years in construction
• Bakery manager: Darren Rowe; Head Baker: Samantha Baldry; Managing Director: David Hobby
• Moffat team: Kirsty Thompson (Bakery sales) and Quentin Phillips (Food Service sales)
• Mixing and dough: Rondo Compass dough sheeter, Spiroforce 120kg spiral mixer, Bear Varimixer Bear planetary mixer, Versatile bread moulder, Paramount RP1RS 18 tray retarder prover, Paramount DIV20 16 square chamber dough divider, Paramount bread slicer, Thermogel 100L water chiller
• Ovens: Merrychef e2s high speed oven, Convotherm 10 tray combi oven + stand, Turbofan convection oven + stand, Rotel 3 deck 3 split 24 tray deck oven, Tagliavini electric rotating single rack oven RT810E-DT
• Waldorf Cooking lineup: Waldorf single pan fryer, Waldorf GP8900G-B 900mm gas griddle bench, Waldorf 600mm and 900mm gas cooktops, Waldorf 1200mm gas tilting bratt pan
• Dishwashing: Washtech XU undercounter dishwasher, Washtech PW3 wide body passthrough dishwasher

Inspired by Bakes on Lakes and want to plan your own bakery, café or eatery? Contact the Moffat team to find out more.