Kneading dough for hot cross buns or tempering chocolate for Easter eggs, Noel Remacle’s students probably don’t know his skills were passed down by people who risked their lives to keep ovens burning in his native country during wartime.

Third-generation Belgian baker Noel Remacle loves passing down all of his skills when teaching Level 5 Bakery and Patisserie courses – including how temper chocolate for Easter eggs. Photo / Brydie Thompson

The cookery tutor at Toi Ohomai in Tauranga is a third generation Belgian baker, who was raised hearing stories of his grandfather Jean Remacle’s exploits as a member of the resistance in World War II.

“He had been badly burned in the bakery and couldn’t fight,” said Remacle, of his “Parrain” – French for godfather because he was also Noel’s godfather.

“So he would bake bread for wounded Allied soldiers. My father [Jean-Pierre] remembers as a 5-year-old seeing a dark-skinned person for the first time – an African-American escaped prisoner who was being hidden in their house.”

Jean Remacle was once caught in a German bombing raid and trapped under a bridge for three days. He eventually cycled home carrying the flour he’d risked his life to collect, said Noel.

Noel Remacle’s grandfather Jean Remacle, pictured here circa 1938, would bake bread for wounded Allied soldiers during WWII. Photo / Supplied

“It wasn’t good flour, so he created a machine to sieve it. He found a way to make it usable.”

1927

The bakery that Jean Remacle opened in 1927 was continued by Noel’s father, Jean-Pierre, who informed his rebellious 14-year-old son – who’d been kicked out of school – that he was to be a baker too. It was two years before Noel fell in love with the craft.

“I was about 16 years old and made a cake for my girlfriend at the time with a big flower in pulled sugar. It looked like glass and everyone said it was so cool. I started enjoying it then and wanted to learn more.”

The three generations of Belgian bakers in the Remacle family – from left Jean Remacle, Jean-Pierre Remacle and Noel Remacle, who now lives in Tauranga. Photo / Supplied

In 2007, Noel and his wife Yolanda – eager to find a work-life balance – decided to bring their two young children to live in New Zealand.

“In Belgium I found myself working 120 hours a week,” said Noel. “Sometimes I would sleep with my head on the table for an hour and then work again. My only regret about moving here is not doing it 10 years earlier.”

Windermere

Now based at Toi Ohomai’s Windermere Campus in the Tourism and Hospitality faculty, Noel channels decades of experience into teaching Level 5 Bakery and Patisserie courses.

Noel Remacle sharing his knowledge with Ollie Hancock and Amelie Harrison Noel Remacle sharing his knowledge with Ollie Hancock and Amelie Harrison, at Toi Ohomai. Photo / Brydie Thompson

His approach blends classic techniques passed down through the generations with innovative thinking – peppered with his favourite mantras, like:“If you don’t respect chocolate, it won’t respect you”.

Following the success of an online workshop during Covid-19, Noel was invited to Egypt in 2023 to teach and to host a special guest seminar.

“I thought it was a joke, and didn’t reply at first. It was only when I got an official email from Pharos University in Alexandria that I knew it was real. It was 10 days of teaching and being treated like a VIP. It was incredible and next year I’ll go back again.”

Easter activity

Throughout the year Noel’s students put their skills to the test by running an on-campus baked goods shop. In the last few weeks, the kitchen has been a hive of activity, turning out trays full of chocolate eggs, hot cross buns, Easter bunnies and more.

“When I first started the course, I was told to ‘just stick to New Zealand baking’,” he said. “But I like to level up our baking, so instead of cream in the donuts we make a hazelnut custard, and nine-layer opera cakes with white chocolate mousse.

“Why not combine the styles and bring global baking to New Zealand? Before long, everyone was talking about ‘that Belgian guy teaching in Tauranga’.”

Easter bunnies created by Noel Remacle’s Toi Ohomai students. Photo / Supplied

The results speak for themselves with his graduates finding jobs around the world, including one in London. “She made cupcakes for Gordon Ramsey’s kid’s birthday party.”

Still a rebel

Here in the Bay of Plenty, Noel keeps proving his ingenuity, recently coming up with a new way of making meringue that he’ll present online to an international audience of chefs.

“I’m still a rebel. I question things and I’m always learning. I like to take a recipe and look for an easier or better way to do it.”