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Introduction to British Breads

£215.00

Beginner

Duration:

1 Day

Timings:

09:00 - 16:30

Course start dates:

12 Sep 2026
23 Jan 2027

Hourly Schedule

Time

9:00
Arrival & welcome
Tea, coffee and warm pastries from the kitchen.

9:30
Course Start

13:00
Lunch
Seasonal lunch prepared by our catering team.

16:30
Course End

Discover the rich heritage of traditional British baking on this hands-on, full-day course with expert baker Paul Raddan.

England’s bread-making tradition is filled with distinctive regional favourites and time-honoured classics, many of which are rarely seen beyond their local roots. Throughout the day, you’ll explore the techniques, history and skills behind these iconic bakes while gaining practical experience in both griddle baking and oven baking.

Working in our professional teaching kitchens, you’ll prepare, shape and bake a selection of traditional British breads, building confidence and expanding your repertoire of artisan baking skills.

What You’ll Learn

Through a combination of expert tuition and practical baking, you will:

Master the techniques behind traditional British bread recipes
Learn the principles of griddle baking and oven baking
Understand the heritage and characteristics of classic regional bakes
Develop skills in dough preparation, shaping and baking
Gain confidence recreating these breads at home

What You’ll Bake

During the course, you’ll make:

Crumpets and pikelets, known for their distinctive open texture
Traditional English muffins cooked on the griddle
A classic white cottage loaf
Lardy cake (vegetarian option available)

Who Is This Course For?

This course is suitable for home bakers, food enthusiasts and anyone interested in exploring Britain’s baking heritage. Whether you’re looking to expand your bread-making skills or discover traditional recipes with expert guidance, you’ll leave with practical knowledge and plenty of inspiration.

Please Note:
Whilst we make every effort to adhere to best practices regarding allergen control and cross-contamination at The School of Artisan Food, we sincerely regret that we are unable to cater for severe food allergies or coeliac disease. This is due to the continuous and varied use of our teaching spaces, common areas and food preparation areas.

If in any doubt, please contact us to discuss your individual circumstances prior to making a booking, as this will then enable us to produce a personalised Risk Assessment based on your own specific circumstances and better judge if we can safely accommodate you on site.

Your Tutors

Tutor

Paul Raddan

Paul Raddan

Paul’s love of baking started early, with happy memories of Sunday morning baking sessions at his Nan’s house.

Following Paul’s degree in Psychology at Reading University, the pull of the kitchen proved too great, and he spent the next 15 years in restaurants and kitchens across the East Midlands. A love of baking meant that he was baking bread and cakes on his days off as well as at work. When Paul’s wife established a sourdough culture in 2009, this obsession worsened!

Following a move to Rugby in 2012, Paul made the leap into full-time baking, and Rugby Real Bread was born. He started in his home kitchen, before building an extension to make space for the rapidly increasing oven and fridge space needed. Paul served the local community with an array of cakes and both yeasted and sourdough breads. Savoury scones were also very popular, favourites being feta & spinach, stilton & walnut and cheddar & marmite.

Sharing Paul’s love of baking and real food has always been important to him; Paul teaches practical classes at schools, food festivals, charities, adult education centres and community groups. He also run a Bread Club for local baking enthusiasts, so people can get together and showcase different breads and recipes.

Paul’s courses are fun, imaginative learning experiences. They will inspire you to take back what you have learned to your kitchen at home and to continue to spread the love of baking and good food.