More information
Our workshops are in their 12th year. Most students who attended the workshops in the early days realised that rather than being at the end of their learning when they attended a class here, that they were at the beginning. Often they asked me for more guidance, as they practiced, encouragement, support and to keep in learning.
Students asked to learn more about the grains, and the mechanisms of fermentation and more about the nutrition and digestibility side of baking sourdough.
The result was the creation of the online certificate – our most comprehensive sourdough baking course available. This unique blend of a hands-on 4-Day Workshop and an extensive online component—comprising over 150 hours of weekly guided baking— it offers an unparalleled experience in the art of sourdough baking and understanding bread and health.
On the online course not only will you get a deep level of learning about flour, and different grains, but also gut health and digestion’s as you master sourdough baking skills but you will also learn about personalised wellness through bread.
Learn to personalised your bread
Our unique approach recognises that each individual responds differently to bread, and our curriculum is tailored to address this diversity. In addition to learning traditional baking techniques, students delve into the science of personalised breadmaking, focusing on optimising gut health and supporting overall wellness. From managing conditions like IBS to blood sugar regulation, and non coeliac gluten sensitivity our students learn about grains and fermentation techniques applying evidence-based strategies to nourish the gut microbiome and promote mental well-being through bread.
A deep, intuitive understanding that is crucial for crafting exceptional sourdough bread.
In-Person Workshop Experience: During the 4-Day Workshop, you will bake alongside me, Vanessa Kimbell and my team. The workshop is more than just learning recipes; it’s an immersive course where my job is to impart the sensory attributes of baking including aroma, texture, and flavour. It is about a deep, intuitive understanding that is crucial for crafting exceptional sourdough bread. This workshop is an opportunity to engage with the art of baking on both a physical and emotional level, transforming your approach to sourdough learning to personalise your bread.
Online Baking as Lifestyle Medicine Certificate: Complementing the workshop, the online course provides over 150 hand selected hours of guided baking, rich with academic resources from our libraries of over 500 hours of lessons .The course covers a range of topics over the year, from the fundamentals of sourdough preparation to the complexities of its impact on health and well-being. The course is designed to be flexible, allowing you to learn at your own pace and delve deeply into the intricacies of sourdough baking.
Weekly Live Baking Clinics, for support, inspiration and collective sharing and engagement
Perhaps the most loved part of the course is our weekly online live baking clinics. These sessions help to keep you on track and serve as a vibrant conversational space each week for the exchange of knowledge and experiences. As part of this collaborative environment, I encourage you to share your baking on the course forum. We adhere to the structured baking schedule and this amazing unique setup allows individuals to learn from their own baking, and enriches your understanding through the insights, inquiries, and interactions of other students around the world.
The clinics are a warm, relaxed, and friendly atmosphere. I love the conversations and it enables participants to reconnect with the students you met on your workshop through out the year and enjoy their baking too. The clinics make. you part of The School, and bring sense of belonging, community and support, making these sessions not just an educational resource but also a delightful gathering and something I look forward to each week.
Stay a second year – the option to stay on.
The course spans one year, with students developing and presenting graduation recipe. Your graduation exam is not a written paper. It is a useable recipe that you develop using the BALM structure and to graduate you this recipes and the photos and present your fellow students and then we bake it. It is an amazing way to really demonstrate your understanding and learning of the knowledge, skills and understanding. It’s also fun.
May students like to take their time developing the recipe, so we include an optional additional year allowing you to take your time and refine your recipes repeat the programme. Whilst most opt for this extended period to maximise their understanding and application of the course – it is not compulsory.
Alumni Student
So often students don’t want to leave so there is an option to remain as an alumni after graduation. This is a lovely part of being a student here, and often alumni students help each other on suggestions and insight the forum and support new students with their knowledge and experience.
This is transformative programme where you will not only learn about sourdough but also experience its profound connection to microbes, the soil, farmers, millers, health, and the community. This course is way more than an education—it’s a celebration of the art and science of sourdough and the meaning of baking at its best.
What happens once I book?
Once you have checked out then the system automatically sends you an email, including directions to the school. You will need to follow the instructions to create an account, To enrol you will be asked to register as a student, and to book a 1:1 interview with myself, Vanessa.
You will have access the school recipe libraries, pre course syllabus and be able to join the clinic.
Please remember that whilst you can join in the clinic, that your baking 12 month guided baking schedule begins on the the 3rd week of September