27/02/2026
Hambleton Bakery Visit – Tresham College
Catering & Hospitality students and staff at Tresham College recently had the privilege of welcoming Julian Cater and Denise Hart from Hambleton Bakery for an inspiring and highly informative industry visit.
Julian, Co-Owner, Head Baker and a remarkable 10th-generation baker, shared the story of his extensive and distinguished career in the food industry. His journey began in his family’s bakery in Liverpool, where he developed his foundational skills and deep-rooted passion for artisan baking. He later joined the RAF as a chef, refining his discipline, precision and large-scale catering expertise. Julian went on to cook for three years for former Prime Minister John Major at both Downing Street and Chequers, an experience that demanded exceptional standards, consistency and professionalism.
Following this, Julian joined the brigade at Hambleton Hall, where he worked in a Michelin-starred environment. Demonstrating commitment, creativity and technical excellence, he quickly rose to the position of Sous Chef, a role he held for approximately nine years. This breadth of experience gave students valuable insight into the high standards required across artisan baking, fine dining and prestigious catering environments.
During the visit, Julian delivered an engaging and hands-on masterclass in bread making and shaping. He provided detailed explanations of different grain varieties, discussing protein content, gluten development and how various flours influence flavour, structure and texture. Students learned about the science behind the sourdough fermentation process, including natural wild yeasts, starter maintenance, fermentation timing and the importance of temperature control. Julian also demonstrated a range of professional shaping and scoring techniques, explaining how these not only create visual appeal but also control expansion and oven spring during baking.
Students were then invited to apply their learning in a practical session, where they practised shaping and cutting dough under Julian’s expert guidance. This hands-on opportunity allowed them to refine their knife skills, improve their confidence handling high-hydration doughs, and gain a deeper understanding of artisan bread production methods used within industry settings.
Denise Hart complemented the technical masterclass by delivering an insightful overview of the business operations behind Hambleton Bakery. She discussed brand development, maintaining product quality across multiple sites, sourcing ingredients responsibly, customer engagement, and the challenges and rewards of growing an artisan bakery business in a competitive marketplace. This provided students with valuable knowledge about the commercial realities of the hospitality and food production sector.
The session concluded on a generous note, with students each receiving a Hambleton Bakery goodie bag containing three different varieties of artisan bread, a cheese straw, and recipe cards to support further practice and skills development at home. This thoughtful gesture reinforced the bakery’s commitment to education and craft excellence.
We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Denise and Julian for taking the time to visit Tresham College and share their wealth of knowledge, experience and passion. The session was both educational and inspiring, providing students with meaningful industry insight and practical skills that will support their progression within the Catering & Hospitality sector
Tresham College
