Sourdough RevolutionOnce upon a condemned oven
How a self taught baker with two condemned ovens in the family garage ended up running a bakery and a school in Lechlade.
Max Abbott taught himself sourdough, started baking in his family garage in 2015 with two condemned ovens, and grew Sourdough Revolution with no advertising. Today the bakery in Lechlade bakes around 3,000 loaves a week and has run a baking school since 2024.
The garage years
It started in 2015, with two ovens nobody else wanted and a family garage. Max had learned sourdough cooking at Thyme in Southrop and could not stop. A Michelin inspector tasted the bread and praised it, and word spread from there.
The Malthouse
The bakery moved into The Malthouse on Market Square in Lechlade, a few minutes walk from the Thames. Wholesale grew one cafe and one farm shop at a time, all by word of mouth.
With our school, we're able to expand without cutting corners on quality, and invite those who share our values to discover the secrets of the trade.
The school
In February 2024 we opened a baking school in the bakery expansion overlooking the river. Every student goes home with a piece of our mother dough, a starter that has been going for half a century.
The shop
In October 2024 we handed the keys of our Lechlade shop to Peter at Crampi, so we could put everything into baking and teaching. Crampi still sells our bread every day.
The flour
Questions people ask
Who founded Sourdough Revolution?
Max Abbott, a self taught baker, in 2015.
Where is the bakery?
The Malthouse, Shelley's Close, Market Square, Lechlade GL7 3AE.