The 27-year-old New World Centre City baker was awarded a $2000 research grant.
He said he was ''really stoked'' to have gone so far in the competition.
''I got to meet a great bunch of guys who are the best of our class.
''I'm still getting used to the fact that I was runner-up.
''There was a supper put on, and not surprisingly, it had a lot of sandwiches, savouries and pies.''
But there was not much time to enjoy the experience.
He arrived back in Dunedin at 9pm on Thursday night and was back at work at 3am yesterday morning.
The award is sponsored by the New Zealand Association of Bakers and is designed to promote excellence in people emerging from their training.
Mr Jackson competed against Michael Murphy (24) from the bakery at New World Gardens, and they were two of four bakers nationwide who reached the final of the competition.
The winner was Robert Reihana, from Quality Bakers in Nelson, who won a research grant worth up to $10,000 for overseas travel to look at new technology, ingredients, processes or trends in products.
He is now eligible to represent New Zealand at the LA Judge Awards for baking apprentices in Sydney later this year.
