The Bread Bakers Guild of America upcoming events

Indian Flours and Flatbreads (08/17/2026)

Mon, 17 Aug 2026 20:00:00 GMT

Indian Flours and Flatbreads

Monday, August 17, 2026 | 4:00pm – 6:00pm ET Via Zoom

In this two-hour virtual class, Chef Richard LaMarita, instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City, will explore a variety of Indian flatbreads and the techniques behind making them. Drawing on his expertise in Ayurvedic cooking and his experience at New York's acclaimed Tabla restaurant, Richard will introduce you to the three primary cooking methods used to create Indian flatbreads—griddle-baked, griddle-fried, and deep-fried—and demonstrate three distinctive breads, including naan, chapati, and poori.

He'll also discuss the essential flours and staple ingredients used throughout Indian bread making, explaining how they contribute to the unique character of these breads.

Whether you're a baker looking to expand your repertoire or simply eager to explore one of the world's richest bread traditions, you'll leave with a deeper understanding of Indian flatbreads.

Our Instructor:

Rich LaMarita

Richard LaMarita is a Chef-Instructorat the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) in New York City, teaching Health-Centered Culinary Arts career classes and leading recreational classes on Ayurvedic, Asian and vegan cuisines.

Prior to joining ICE, he was a Chef-instructor in the world-renowned plant-based program at the Natural Gourmet Institute, NYC, for 25 years. His specialty, along with vegetarian and vegan cooking, is Indian and Italian. He is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education in having completed the Culinary Arts and Culinary Management Program and he has worked with numerous chefs in NYC, including Chef Floyd Cardoz, Dan Kluger and Ben Pollinger at Tabla Restaurant. Rich has been a practitioner and teacher of Ayurveda, a science of life, health and balance, for 35 years. He has studied with Vedic and Ayurvedic master, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and has led seminars on Ayurveda, including Ayurvedic Diet, Cooking, Yoga and Meditation throughout the U.S., and in Europe and Asia.

Craft • Culture • Careers• Community

Guild Office Hours: Yeast and Fermentation (09/08/2026)

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 20:00:00 GMT

Guild Office Hours: Yeast and Fermentation

Tuesday, September 8, 2026 | 4:00pm–5:00pm ET

Want to improve your bread through better fermentation? Looking to better understand how yeast impacts your process?

Understanding how yeast works, and how to manage fermentation effectively, can help you produce more consistent and flavorful breads.

Join baking experts from Lesaffre for an interactive session exploring the role of yeast in fermentation and how it impacts every stage of the baking process. Peter Abrams and Sherrill Cropper will discuss different types of baker's yeast, how yeast is produced, and how factors such as time and temperature influence fermentation outcomes.

You’ll learn:

How baker's yeast is produced

Differences between fresh and dry yeast varieties, including specialty yeasts such as osmotolerant yeast

Practical tips for improving dough performance

Fermentation's role in flavor, dough performance, and production efficiency

Bring your questions and fermentation challenges for an extended Q&A with the speakers.

Presented in partnership with Lesaffre.

ABOUT OUR SPEAKERS

Peter Abrams is a Bakery Training and Business Development Specialist at Lesaffre, based in Piscataway NJ. Peter has been working in the baking and pastry field for over 25 years, including over a decade in artisan bread manufacturing. At Lesaffre Peter spends most of his time helping customers on their product development projects and making new and innovative products with Lesaffre ingredients.

Sherrill Cropper is the New Product Development Lab Manager for Lesaffre Corporation and Red Star Yeast Co. based in Milwaukee, WI. Sherrill has been working in the Research and Technical Services group for 11years where she develops ingredients and provides technical support to her team and customers. Sherrill received her B.S. and M.S. degrees in Food Science from The Ohio State University and her Ph.D. in Grain Science from Kansas State University.

Craft • Culture • Careers • Community