Ricardo Slawers is a magician of yeast and patience. With over 10 years of experience, he is the face and architect behind beautiful breads at La Motte Bakery in Franschhoek.
Leading the estate’s bakery team, Slawers’ mosbolletjies have been stealing hearts and taste buds of bread lovers since the bakery’s opening in 2023.
Originally from Riversdal in the Southern Cape, Slawers matriculated in Wellington before moving to Franschhoek in 2005.
After starting as a carpenter, he shifted to food in 2010 at Val de Vie’s Sabrage restaurant. He sharpened his pastry skills at Le Chocolatier, learned to bake bread at the Institute of Culinary Arts’ The Apprentice, and in 2014 joined La Motte, where he soon led the pastry kitchen and baked for the farm shop and restaurant.
For him, nothing beats baking a sourdough loaf because it takes time and careful attention to detail.
“But when it comes out the way you anticipated, it brings immense joy.
“I love taking a perfect loaf with the ultimate crust out of the oven and also to imagine people enjoying it at home, perhaps a fresh slice with generous butter or a toasty with avo.”
Heading to Germany
Taking the next step in his remarkable journey, Slawers is heading overseas to advance his baking expertise. He will be attending an advanced training course for experienced bakers at the renowned National Bakers Academy in Weinheim, Germany.
Since 2015, the academy has offered high-quality advanced training for seasoned bakers who aspire to become bread sommeliers, and Slawers is one of 275 participants from 14 countries attending this year.
While he sees this opportunity as a career highlight, he is both excited and nervous, eagerly anticipating his first international visit in October. When asked if he understands any German, Slawers laughs: “A few words… but not enough to survive with! Luckily, the course is presented in English.”
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More about the bakery
Slawers has been baking at La Motte for 11 years under the guidance of master baker Markus Färbinger, founder of Knysna’s well-known île de pain café. At La Motte, a daily variety of freshly baked options comes straight from the on-site wood-fired oven, designed and produced by Four Grand-mère in France.
An in-depth understanding of, and passion for, bread in its original wholesomeness and beauty is at the heart of the bakery’s offerings, shaping Slawers’ baking philosophy and approach. He believes that bread can be good for you – and that not all bread is created equal.
“When you follow the traditional process and use quality ingredients, it can be a wholesome and very satisfying part of your diet.”
When asked if his family eats bread, he smiles, explaining that it is a staple in their home because his passion for baking is impossible to keep to himself.
“I have three kids. A girl in her early twenties, a boy in his late teens, and my baby, a girl in her tweens. They look forward to me coming home with a freshly baked sourdough to enjoy together, but what I am most proud of is that we’ve managed to make our kids conscious about consumption. They challenge me to bake and debate – even on my days off.”
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