On the Rise: Exploring the Future of Bread at JWU Charlotte

For two consecutive years, JWU Charlotte has convened some of the bread world’s best and brightest bakers, thinkers and entrepreneurs to share knowledge, wrestle with common challenges and ponder the next big ideas in bread.

Curated by JWU Charlotte Chef on Assignment Peter Reinhart, James Beard Award-winning author of more than 10 books including “The Bread Baker’s Apprentice,” the Symposium follows a TED-talk style format where individual presentations are followed by ample time for interaction and discussion.

Notes Reinhart, “My goal is to provide a collegial environment in which to explore a very controversial, yet beloved, subject. We’ll hear about consumer trends, advances in technology and technique, and socioeconomic factors that are shaping the business of bread, both now and in the future.”

If the major theme of the 2017 Symposium was “bread is back,” 2018’s edition focused on the resurgence of sourdough and included a full day of hands-on workshops on sourdoughs and on baking with rye, polycrops and local grains.

Watch select videos from the 2017 and 2018 editions below, or explore the YouTube channel in greater depth.

2018 Symposium highlights: 

2018 Keynote Nathan Myhrvold, the creator and co-author of “Modernist Bread”:

Professor Eric Pallant, department chair of Environmental Science at Allegheny College:

Jennifer Lapidus, founder and general manager of Carolina Ground Milling: 

Francisco Migoya, head chef of Modernist Cuisine and co-author of “Modernist Bread”:

Follow @JWUBreadSymposium on Instagram. The next Symposium is being planned for 2020, and after that on a biannual basis. Sign up for news by sending an email to Symposium@jwu.edu.

Francisco Migoya

“Think of yeast as a pet — you can train it. Yeast will adapt.” Francisco Migoya of “Modernist Bread” speaking at the 2017 #JWUBread Symposium.