Molnar grew up baking with his grandparents in Florida and studied Ecology at Ivy-League Dartmouth College. He initially wanted to be a fish farmer but ended up working as a trader for agricultural firm Cargill, and later in management consulting. To avoid a not so pleasant crust from developing, cover the dough with a damp towel, beeswax wrap, a lid or plastic wrap. Baked fresh and never with any preservatives, we recommend storing GAIL’s sourdough in a cool, dry place. To keep the bread for longer, slice immediately and store in an airtight container in the freezer, taking out slices and toasting, as desired. We’re a bit like ageing scientists now, trying to pass the knowledge on to the next generation,” says Molnar. “But bread shouldn’t just be in the hands of great chefs, it should be more widely available for people. I’ve always believed that.” Going forward, Gail’s is looking to grow, initially within its south east heartland, though its wholesale arm has a bakery in Manchester which could support openings in the north of England. As it reaches its 15th birthday, what could the company look like at 30?

But the project didn’t last. “It started and ended on a high,” says Molnar. “I admire people who successfully run restaurants over many years, it’s tough. The restaurant was an experiment but it wasn’t something I had the time or energy to focus on in the end, so it was better to focus on something we knew how to do.”This almost paternal feeling is shared by many of the long-serving bakers. “Our head baker treats the doughs like his babies, when he’s on holiday he calls and asks how they’re doing.” Gail’s eye-catching in-store displays, where bread, cakes and sandwiches sit out on a counter, was a deliberate choice by Molnar. “The world in which I grew in the United States was about wrapping everything and putting it in the fridge and hiding it,” he explains. “My wife’s Italian and at her house they’d have this table of food that never emptied.

The interior of this bread stays superbly moist and tender for days after baking. I enjoy this type of bread heavily toasted as the entire interior becomes crispyin a way that you'll only find in highly hydrated loaves or porridge bread—fantastic. The crumb does become softer, creamier, and slightly tighter as the percentage of potato increases,butthanks to thisstarchy addition,thetender texture of the crumb is what makes this bread stand out. Taste I chose to puree the potatoes in my blender for a smooth consistency (and a few chunks) but you could also dice the potatoes if you’d like to have bits of potato very evident in the crumb. Additionally, you could wash the potatoes and leave the skin on for added texture and interest. Early trials of this recipe using thyme instead of rosemary Vitals Total Dough Weight He pauses, adding: “It’s a double-edged sword to have a pretty famous chairman, there’s a good and a bad side. But mostly it’s been good for us.” Split the dough in half down the middle with a bench scraper. Try to be careful not to break any of the bubbles.Transfer to floured banneton or a bowl lined with a tea towel (I like to use rice flour). Another option is an oiled bowl (I usually use olive oil for this). Cover with plastic and proof for 12-15 hours in the refrigerator. This is the second rise. Baking Since 2005 the bakery sector has gained momentum, with Denmark’s Ole & Steen, French import Paul, Brussels-born Le Pain Quotidien and even Greggs expanding at pace across the high street. Molnar is unphased, and believes there is still a niche for Gail’s bread on the high street. I hope this sourdough bread with roasted potato and rosemary, with its deep, rich flavor and surprisingly light texture, helps you form new food-memory connections for you and whomever you share your loaves with. Perhaps now my Dad's desire for potato bread is satiated, at least until I develop my next recipe.

Now 1,000 people work in the company’s north London HQ (‘the mothership’), which supplies all Gail’s bakeries, as well as the wholesale clients such as restaurants, airport lounges and boxes at Wembley stadium. My version of potato bread is a spin on an Italian bread laden with mashed/pureed potatoes. In taking cues from my approach to making gnocchi, I like to roast the potatoes instead of boiling them. I find this gives the potatoes a nice color and texture; plus, it helps dry the flesh out, preventing unwanted water absorption that could later be released into the dough.On Thursday the first 100 loaves of”waste bread” – baked in the early hours – will go on sale in 10 selected branches of Gail’s Bakery, before being rolled out across the rest of its 43-strong chain in London and the south-east. Roughly one-third of each baked 750g loaf consists of leftover bread and the chain calculates that the 100 loaves being baked daily will save approximately 10kg of bread being wasted per day.