“One of the greatest joys in teaching bread making is seeing people come together to share a new skill and their pleasure in making something so life affirming.”
Richard is a familiar face on TV having appeared on Saturday Kitchen, Market Kitchen and Rachel Allen’s Bake! In 2010 he was named as BBC Food Champion of the Year.
Born in Brittany in North West France, Richard began his apprenticeship as a baker at 14. He moved to England in the late 80s to work as Head Chef at the Rhinefield House Hotel in the New Forest and the Silver Plough at Pitton in Salisbury (awarded Egon Ronay Pub of the Year in 1990). In 2000 Richard set up his consultancy Dough Co.and began teaching and writing.
Richard moved to Bath to set up The Bertinet Kitchen cookery school in 2005. It attracts visitors from all over the world and boasts an impressive roster of guest teachers including Angela Hartnett, Mark Hix, Atul Kochhar and Michael Caines.
As a food writer, Richard has received the highest honours. DOUGH was published by Kyle Cathie in 2005 and picked up a clutch of awards (IACP Cookery book of the year 2006, James Beard Award for Best Book, Baking and Deserts and the Julia Child Award for Best First Book). This was followed in 2007 by CRUST (World Gourmand Award for Best British book on Baking), COOK in 2010 and in May 2012 PASTRY.
His signature sourdough loaf has twice won the Soil Association Organic Food Award for Baked Goods (2010 and 2011).
