HELLO, IT'S REALLY NICE TO MEET YOU

It's a very small and very hardworking team at our bakehouse -Sandy, David, Isaac, Keisha, Leith, Niki & Annella. Between us, we handmake every single loaf that leaves here, and we do it passionately. David is the mastermind of this mission to improve the nation's bread, and we reckon we're pretty lucky that he decided to make the move to New Zealand 9 years ago. Here's his story, in brief...

David Winterbottom began his career as a chef at 16 in Manchester, England, studying at catering college while simultaneously studying for a degree in patisserie at the University of Manchester. David went on to work in a number of Michelin starred restaurants in Manchester and around the UK, including a number of stints as head chef. He owned his own patisserie, and was Second Chef and Pastry Chef of a small restaurant at the time it earned its Michelin Star.

In 1996 he answered an ad for a baker with chefing experience which lead to a job developing bakery products for Marks and Spencer and then on to a stellar career in the UK baking industry. David's extraordinary career in the UK included his role as Head of New Product Development  for British Bakeries, the UK's biggest bakery company with brands like  Hovis and Mr Kipling.

David came to New Zealand looking for a new challenge in 2004. He began with a small oven in a space subleased from the makers of Kapiti Olive Oil and spent his weekends at farmers markets. Kapiti Artisan Bakehouse now employs 5 bakers and makes several thousand loaves each  week - all by hand.

"We make our breads pretty much as they were made in Europe 200 years ago - apart from the electricity of course. The breads are totally natural with no preservatives, no additives, no artificia ingredients. Our aim is to make a product that is authentic, healthy and delicious."

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