We love ingredients – fresh, seasonal and high quality – and wanted to share the story behind our menus to showcase the farmers, growers and producers we value so much.

This month we caught up with Sandor Bagameri, the Head of Bakery at Stir Bakery, based in Cambridge.

Co-founded by husband and wife duo Judith and Matt Harrison in 2017, Stir Bakery produces a wide range of baked goods and is a destination for all those seeking freshly-baked sourdough, rye, focaccia and brioche buns, as well as delicious pastries and cakes. Initially set up to supply the award-winning Stir Café next door, with just a small shop at the front selling to the local community, the bakery has gone from strength to strength and now produces for a select group of customers including Wilson Vale – whilst still also being a key partner in the success of Stir Cafés.

Sandor said: “We have dedicated, passionate experts in their fields making delicious products seven days a week using only the finest quality, natural ingredients. All of our products are handmade adhering to traditional artisanal standards and methods. We are also proud to specialise in gluten free and vegan baking, with a unique range of amazing products. All of our gluten-free items are made in our dedicated gluten-free production room at our bakery.

“We’ve been working with Wilson Vale since spring and supply them with a range of breads including our signature sourdough loaves, focaccia and ciabatta. We also supply croissants, pain au chocolat, pain au raisin, as well as an extensive range of cakes, traybakes, and savoury items. Wilson Vale also take several of our gluten free products, including our chocolate brownie which we think is the best around, and a range of our vegan products, including chocolate chip cookies, brioche buns and our vegan sausage rolls.

“We love working with a company like Wilson Vale that values top quality, fresh products and places a great deal of emphasis on local, independent suppliers like Stir Bakery. We also enjoy being able to supply a wide variety of products to suit the individual needs of each site and the people working in the venues supported by Wilson Vale.”

When asked about his favourite meal made with Stir Bakery bread, Sandor gave us the ultimate lunchtime treat selection: “Trust me when I say there’s simply nothing better at lunchtime than a toastie made with Stir Bakery sourdough.”

And for his trick of the trade, he explained that at Stir Bakery the sourdough is made using just flour, water and salt – there is no yeast, no chemical raising agents, no preservatives or other additives. Lots of bread claiming to be sourdough will contain these other ingredients and is therefore not really genuine sourdough.