As the aroma of freshly baked bread drifts through the iconic Borough Market, Bread Ahead, the beloved artisan bakery and baking school founded by Matthew Jones in 2013, is marking another Sourdough September in style. Known for their great-tasting, classic bakes, Bread Ahead has grown from humble beginnings with just three products – sourdough bread, brownies, and amaretti biscuits – into a baking destination offering over 40 in-person and online workshops, inspiring bakers of all levels across the globe.

From the very start, sourdough has been at the heart of Bread Ahead. When the bakery first opened, they nurtured their first starter, affectionately named “Brucey” after Revd Canon Bruce Saunders, then Sub-Dean of Southwark Cathedral. Bruce visited the bakery to bless the starter, and 12 years on, Brucey is still going strong – giving rise to countless “baby Bruce” starters and loaves along the way, thanks to the many sourdough workshops Bread Ahead has hosted.

From this September on, Bread Ahead is launching Sourdough Starter School – short, hands-on workshops designed for complete beginners and baking maestros alike. Participants will learn essential techniques for making sourdough, create their own starter to take home, and leave with a bag of flour, dough scraper, and simple step-by-step instructions to nurture it into a baking-ready starter of their own.

“Sourdough has always been at the heart of Bread Ahead from the very beginning. It’s a fundamental part of our journey,” says Bread Ahead founder Matthew Jones. “Sourdough September is a wonderful opportunity to explore the art of sourdough baking. At Bread Ahead, we cherish the simplicity of high-quality ingredients and traditional techniques. These new classes give everyone – whether they’re completely new to baking or already passionate about it – the chance to begin or deepen their own sourdough story.”

NEW – Sourdough Starter School
Launching 12th September, these 90 minute workshop (£25) will run four times a week until the end of November:
Thursdays – 12pm, 2pm, 6pm
Saturdays – 10am, 12pm, 2.30pm, 4.30pm
Sundays – 10am, 12pm, 2.30pm, 4.30pm