Bread is one of a handful of foods that is considered a staple almost everywhere in the world; for thousands of years it has been part of the daily lives of much of the world’s population, with most countries having developed their own flavour, style and history of breadmaking.
The purpose of Sonoma founder Andrew Connole’s new television series, For the Love of Bread, is to explore the bread of the world, with a focus on how it has been shaped by local produce, culture, and by the bakers themselves.
Connole, who is considered one of Australia’s most successful bakers, began his career baking loaves in the north-western New South Wales town of Bellata, to sell at farmers markets in Sydney. His artisan bakery Sonoma now has eight locations across Sydney and regional New South Wales.
The eight-part series will see Connole travel to a new country each episode – from Athens to Valleta onto Berlin, Paris, London, Vienna, Copenhagen and San Francisco – where he will explore the local food havens, and talk to some of the world’s best artisan bakers.
Some of the bakers that will feature on For the Love of Bread include Alexandros and Vasilis Rizoz in Athens; Anthony Buttigieg at the famous Makren’s Bakery in Malta; Dov Selby at Berlin Food Experience; Anthony Courteille of Sain Boulangerie and Appollina Poilâne of Poilâne in Paris; Lizzie Parle at E5 Bakehouse in London; Helmut Gragger at Gragger and Cie in Austria; and Emil Glaser at Juno the Bakery in Copenhagen.
In Copenhagen, Connole also dines at Noma and interviews Rene Redzepi, while in the finale, he reconnects with his mentor Chad Robertson in San Francisco.
The journey of For the Love of Bread will introduce viewers to the multi-cultural origins of some of the world’s great bread products and events, including the koulouri street snacks of Greece; the Maltese pastizi; French sourdough croissants; produce at the 2000-year-old Borough Market in London; and the famous Crust and Crumb Bread Festival in Vienna.
For the Love of Bread will air exclusively in Australia on SBS Food from 7 March 2021, and in the USA and Canada on Tastemade.