Humble origins
- Jamie Crocker
- May 1
- 2 min read
Words by Jamie Crocker
From an impulsive solution to a county-wide phenomenon, Tom’s baking legacy turns twenty.
Within the folds of Cornwall’s landscape, like the dough that is kneaded into shape, a simple act of necessity twenty years ago sparked what would become a culinary institution. When a young Tom returned from India’s dusty highways to the windswept peninsula of his homeland, fate conspired with flour and yeast to forge a new path. Working at a local farm shop, confronted with empty shelves meant for bread, Tom turned crisis to opportunity with characteristically Cornish resourcefulness.
The loaves he baked that day, which had been mixed in his kitchen, kneaded by inexperienced but determined hands had vanished from the shop by closing time. More followed the next day, disappearing just as quickly. In that moment of humble commerce, Baker Tom’s drew its first floury breath.
Cornwall flows through the mix of this enterprise like the inlets that cut through its coastal edges. Tom’s formative experiences of riding horses across moorlands and crafting vessels in quiet harbours have imbued his baking philosophy with an appreciation for both skill and context. His bread speaks of the landscape: substantial, honest, unadorned yet deeply satisfying.
Two decades on, four distinctive shops dot the Cornish map from Penzance to Wadebridge, each a cornerstone in their community. The bakery’s new packaging, unveiled for this anniversary year, captures the kaleidoscopic facades of Falmouth’s harbour buildings – a town that holds particular significance in Tom’s personal geography.
The scale has transformed dramatically. Weekly production now consumes tonnes of flour, supplying countless establishments across the southwest. Yet the fundamental approach remains steadfast: wholesome ingredients, patient processes and bread that is allowed to develop character via time’s arrow rather than chemical shortcuts.
Long before environmental consciousness became commercially expedient, Baker Tom’s committed to regenerative flour and locally sourced ingredients. This foresight has positioned the bakery as a genuine pioneer in sustainable food production.
The business has demonstrated remarkable adaptability through changing times. During pandemic lockdowns, a mobile bread van wound through Cornwall’s narrow lanes, delivering sustenance and normality to isolated communities.
More recently, relocation to larger premises has expanded capacity while reducing environmental impact. Innovation continues with Baker Tom’s frozen bread range – allowing chefs across the region to serve fresh-tasting artisanal products with practical consistency. This thoughtful solution maintains quality while acknowledging the realities of modern food service.
Throughout Cornwall’s evolving culinary landscape, Baker Tom’s products – from the simplest white loaf to intricately crafted sourdoughs – have become fundamental elements on menus both modest and celebrated. The bakery has grown alongside Cornwall’s gastronomic reputation, each enhancing the other through two decades of mutual development.
As Baker Tom’s marks twenty years, the enterprise remains rooted in its founding principle: creating authentic bread with integrity, born from and belonging to the extraordinary landscape of Cornwall.
