"The flour provided by the competition organizer was different from what we use at home, so the dough we made was not ideal," he said. "Also, it was hard to sleep during the competition, partly because of jet lag, but mainly because of the pressure. I only slept about eight hours in those two days."

Zhang said it was also difficult to predict the personal preferences of the judges.

"Usually, judges from European countries and regions like bread with a slightly sour taste, which means the dough needs to ferment for a long time, while judges from Asia prefer sweeter items," he said.

Taking part in the competition was the greatest challenge of his life, but it was an experience he will cherish, Zhang said.

"Of course, I'm not satisfied with the final result. I will continue to participate in other global baking competitions because I believe that I will eventually step onto the podium with a gold medal," he said.

As for his future plans, Zhang said that for the next two years, he will be responsible for training the institute's candidates for the 46th WorldSkills Competition, which will be held in Shanghai in 2021.

"I also plan to open my own bakery, where I will make bread with Chinese elements," he said. "The domestic bakery market is growing continuously, which I believe will help me forge a better life."