Blog
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The Genuine Chef Forum gets baking!
Our Genuine Foodies got the opportunity of a lifetime… to make artisan breads and cakes in one of the best artisanal wholesale bakeries in the UK, The Bread Factory! This bakery is one of only a handful left that make all of their breads by hand, relying on the baker’s keen senses to determine the quality of their beautiful products. They have returned to the basics, taking great care to produce the highest quality products in the most ethically and environmentally friendly ways.
The Genuine Dining Co. has always supported businesses that keep our planet healthy and happy, and The Bread Factory is just one of those businesses! They use only free-range eggs, have an ambitious recycling program, run sustainable electricity and their wastage is below 0.1%. And if that’s not enough, the little that is wasted is given to local charities and farmers for animal feed!
Our Genuine Foodies
The Genuine Chef Forum is open to any and all members of our amazing Genuine family, from deli bar chefs to operations managers. These events are opportunities for staff to get together and learn something new, make connections with each other and our suppliers, and have a great time! The Genuine Chef’s Forum is about sharing, communicating and brainstorming on new ideas for menus, marketing, sustainability, whatever! And we had a great time doing just that, while getting in on the bread making action.
The Genuine Dining Co. is proud to supply The Bread Factory’s delicious baked goods through Gail’s Bakery which they supply. We are lucky enough to call Gail’s Bakery a sister company, as our Chairman Luke Johnson has a share in this amazing bakery and we are proud to support and sell their delicious products!
Our day at The Bread Factory began with an illustrious presentation by head members of the company, who gave us an in-depth view of what their company is all about. We learned that they source ethically and locally, where possible, to make sure they only use the best ingredients – from fresh rosemary & thyme in sourdough loaves, to free range eggs and the best British butter in their cakes and pastries. They also supplied us with countless treats to taste just how good their products are! (As if we needed an excuse!)
Then we were whisked off to the production area, where we got to witness first-hand how they make all of their burger buns, croissants and sweets (which, by the way, are truly all hand rolled. Even the croissants!). We learned all about their sourdough starters, some of which are 30 years old, which hold the key to producing their perfect, rustic, artisanal loaves.
Lastly, we were taken through to the dessert room, a truly Willy Wonka-like experience! Here we got to try our hand at making cookies and finishing cakes and (luckily!) got the opportunity to take home what we made. It was a truly tasty and educational experience at The Bread Factory and one which we will not soon forget!
