Join Richard and his fellow companion baker Jim Lahey for this new and very special Lunch and Learn workshop. Richard has followed Jim’s baking for many years and we are excited to be able to offer you the opportunity to come and learn, alongside Richard, about Jim’s bakery craft. He is visiting the UK on a whistle stop tour to celebrate the 15th anniversary reprint of his book My Bread and we are delighted that we have managed to secure some of his time to come to The Bertinet Kitchen.
The workshop will start with Jim demonstrating recipes, focussing on his New York style of baking and his classic ‘no-knead’ method of bread making that you will later get to enjoy with your lunch that will be following. We will be making stecca, a stretched dough that is studded with fillings such as tomatoes and olives and ideal for picnics. There will also be that quintessential New York must a peanut butter and jelly (jam) bread to taste. We will then open up the floor for a question and answer session before Jim signs your copy of his new book, which is included in the price of the workshop. Lunch will be fully prepared by us and will feature bakes from Jim’s inspirational newly updated 15th anniversary edition of his book that includes new recipes never before published. Of course your lunch will be accompanied by a glass of wine, or two!
Jim Lahey originally pursued a career in sculpture but found his true passion in bread making. While studying art in Italy, he fell in love with the rustic, crusty loaves he ate there. Upon returning to New York, he realised he couldn’t find bread that matched the quality of what he had in Italy, so he set out to recreate those loaves himself. In 1994, Lahey opened Sullivan Street Bakery, which soon became a go-to source for many of New York City’s top restaurants.
In 2006, The New York Times published Lahey’s now-famous No-Knead Bread recipe, which revolutionised home baking by showing people how to make bakery-quality bread at home. The recipe became one of the most popular in the newspaper’s history and inspired countless home bakers worldwide.
Building on this success, Lahey authored My Bread, followed by the opening of his pizzeria, Co., and a café in Chelsea. His second book, My Pizza, offered readers a chance to explore pizza-making with simple, flavourful toppings and an approachable dough recipe.
In 2015, Lahey was honoured with the James Beard Foundation’s first-ever Outstanding Baker Award, and in 2016, he was inducted into their “Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America.” In 2024, the 15th-anniversary reprint of My Bread was published, reaffirming its lasting impact on the world of baking.
This is a demonstration Lunch and Learn workshop and includes lunch with wine and a signed copy of Jim’s new book. The workshop will start at 11am and finish at approximately 2.30pm. Finish times can vary on each class, but this is a good guide.