The original artisan bakery and its 13-year-old starter, Bruce, take centre stage this September

Bread Ahead, the artisan bakery and baking school founded by Matthew Jones at Borough Market in 2013, is celebrating Sourdough September by putting the bread that has been part of its story from the very beginning centre stage, with a new line-up of sourdough workshops launching across its Baking Schools this September.

IT ALL STARTED WITH SOURDOUGH

When Matthew Jones first opened his Bread Ahead stall at Borough Market, sourdough was one of the bakery’s first offerings. From those early market days, Bread Ahead has grown into a much-loved artisan bakery and baking school, but sourdough has remained at the heart of its baking.

And still baking today is Bruce, Bread Ahead Borough’s much-loved 13-year-old sourdough starter. Bruce was blessed in 2013 by Canon Bruce Saunders and has been carefully nurtured ever since, producing countless loaves and inspiring generations of baby Bruce starters through Bread Ahead’s sourdough workshops and beyond.

Sourdough’s appeal goes far beyond its distinctive flavour and texture. The long fermentation process is what gives sourdough its characteristic depth of flavour, chewy crumb and crisp crust, while naturally fermented bread can be easier for people to digest. It is also an incredibly practical loaf to have at home: slice it, freeze it and take out a slice whenever you need it, ready to go straight into the toaster for breakfast.

SHARING THE SOURDOUGH LOVE

Teaching people how to bake has always been central to Bread Ahead’s philosophy. The Bread Ahead Baking School now offers more than 40 workshops online and in person, helping everyone from complete beginners to experienced bakers learn the skills to bake at home.

That teaching mission became particularly powerful during lockdown, when Matthew was forced to take Bread Ahead’s sourdough classes online, he hosted free daily Instagram Live sessions from his kitchen. The classes attracted a huge global following, with more than 80,000 new followers joining Bread Ahead in just six weeks and live audiences reaching 8,000 viewers.

Matthew Jones, founder of Bread Ahead, says: “Teaching has always been as important to Bread Ahead as baking itself. Sourdough is a brilliant example of that because once you understand the principles, you can keep baking it for years and make it your own. That’s what we saw during lockdown, when people all over the world joined us to learn about starters, fermentation and bread-making from their own kitchens. Sourdough has a wonderful way of bringing people together, and Sourdough September is our chance to keep that going and introduce even more people to the craft.”

SOURDOUGH WORKSHOPS FOR SEPTEMBER 2026

This September, Bread Ahead is expanding its sourdough offering with a programme of hands-on workshops at Borough and Wembley, alongside online masterclasses for those who prefer to learn from home.

Introduction to Sourdough Baking Borough & Wembley half day £110

  • An introduction to the fundamentals of sourdough, from understanding your starter and fermentation to shaping and baking your own loaf

Complete Sourdough Baking Borough & Wembley full day £220

  • A comprehensive day of sourdough baking, building the knowledge and confidence to continue baking at home.

Guide-to-Sourdough-Bread Wembley 3 days £550

  • In-depth three-day course for those wanting to take their sourdough skills further

Guide to Sweet Sourdough Baking Borough & Wembley 2 days £400

  • A two-day exploration of the sweeter side of sourdough, learning how to use fermentation in indulgent bakes.

NEW The Sourdough Starter School  Borough 90mins £25

  • A hands-on introduction to sourdough, covering the science behind it, how to create and care for a starter, plus practical skills and plenty of tastings.

BECOME A SOURDOUGH EXPERT FROM THE COMFORT OF YOUR OWN HOME

For those who can’t make it to a Bread Ahead Baking School workshop, the sourdough lessons continue online. Bread Ahead’s video masterclasses offer expert guidance from the comfort of your own kitchen, whether you’re getting to grips with your first starter, looking for clever ways to use up your discard or ready to explore flatbreads and sweet sourdough.

With expert tips, techniques and step-by-step guidance, the masterclasses are designed to give bakers the confidence to keep practising and return to sourdough time and time again.

With expert tips, techniques and step-by-step guidance, the masterclasses give bakers the skills to make sourdough at home with confidence time after time.

GO-TO SOURDOUGH RECIPES

Once you’ve got your starter going and mastered the basics, there are plenty of ways to put it to good use. From a simple everyday loaf to a hearty rye or an easy no-knead bread, Bread Ahead is sharing three classic recipes to get you baking at home.

Sourdough Starter Recipe
Learn the fundamentals and get your own starter bubbling.

No-Knead Sourdough Recipe
A simple, hands-off route to a homemade sourdough loaf.

Rye Sourdough Recipe
A classic rye loaf for when you’re ready to branch out.

Whether you’re looking to make your first starter, perfect your loaf or discover the sweeter side of sourdough, Sourdough September is an invitation to learn, bake and bring a little bit of Bread Ahead’s Borough Market story into your own kitchen.

For more information and to book, visit www.breadahead.com.