Robert Swift: Hollywood is to thank for making baking sexy

Since he started appearing alongside Mary Berry on the The Great British Bake Off the reputation of bakers has gone through the roof.

We were once considered slightly odd. People thought we were mad to rise at 3am every day to go to work. But now we're seen as cool. It's great.

I've been baking all of my life. Our business, Swift's, was founded in 1863 by my great-great-great-great aunt, Hannah Swift.

We've got connections in Staffordshire, the Black Country and Shropshire – there are not many towns that haven't eaten Swift's bread over the past 150 years.

Some things haven't changed since Hannah's time. I still rise every day at silly o'clock, as does my brother and my father, who are also bakers. We work 70 or 80 hours each week and have very understanding families.

But we now spend plenty of our time on the road, at food festivals, demonstrations and other events. I've even published a book of my favourite bakes, Born and Bread, which has proved a big hit.

Not so long ago, bakers could look forward to spending Sundays at home with their families. But these days, we are more than likely to be heading to a town somewhere in the Midlands to meet customers.

Last week, for instance, I met tens of thousands of people at the BBC Good Food Show, in Birmingham, where we had a stand. Our bakes were delivered to the NEC daily and there was plenty of interest in my book.

I enjoy being on the road. Much as I love the peace and tranquillity of the bakehouse, there's something very special about meeting our customers. I love to learn more about their preferences and their own experiences of baking.

One other thing that's really taken off during the past couple of years is our workshops. I now teach hundreds of people a year at a specially-converted bakers' classroom, in Ludlow. People are interested in getting to grips with the basics of making their own bread and some also want to go further and learn about speciality French or Italian breads.

My book recalls our family's proud history – and also provides step-by-step tips for people who want to learn how to get a perfect rise of their own.

I might not be as famous as Paul Hollywood – but I seem to be on the road just as much as the nation's favourite baker.

* Robert Swift runs www.bread2bake.co.uk and his book, Born and Bread, is available at branches of Swift's bakery or from Amazon.