Learn what
dough feels like.
A hands-on, beginner-friendly class taught by Billy in Newbury Park. In about three hours you’ll go through the whole process — mixing, fermentation, shaping, scoring, and baking — and leave with a live starter and three loaves so you can keep baking the very next day. Books and reels can only get you so far; this is what fully fermented dough actually feels like in your hands.
Not just
knowledge.
Every student walks out the door with a full kit, three loaves at three stages of fermentation, and the confidence to bake on day one — no waiting weeks to grow a starter.
- 01Banneton + cheesecloth lining
- 02Live sourdough starter, named & dated
- 03Bench scraper
- 04Printed recipe + starter maintenance guide
- 05One loaf you scored, baked in class
- 06One loaf of dough to ferment overnight at home
- 07One pre-fermented loaf, ready to bake tomorrow
- 08Fresh sourdough to eat during class
Six chapters, three hours,
your hands the whole time.
I. Reading flour and water
What hydration actually means. How different flours behave. The autolyse and why it matters.
II. Mixing and folding
Slap-and-fold, stretch-and-fold, coil folds. When to use which. Building strength without overworking the dough.
III. Bulk fermentation
Reading the dough by sight, smell and feel. The poke test and what it's actually telling you. When to stop bulk.
IV. Shaping
Pre-shape and final shape. Surface tension. Why your loaf flattens (and how to stop that).
V. Scoring and the oven
Designs, depth, angle. The role of steam. Oven spring and ear. How dark is dark enough.
VI. Keeping a starter alive
Feeding ratios, fridge vs. counter, travel and vacations, troubleshooting. How to bring a sleepy starter back.
- Duration
- 2.5–3 hours
- Group size
- Up to 8 bakers
- Tuition
- $175 per baker
- Location
- Newbury Park, CA
- Schedule
- Weekend afternoons, roughly monthly. Email or text to see what’s next on the calendar.
- Private and group bookings
- Birthdays, anniversaries, bachelor / bachelorette, team offsites. Private classes available for groups of 6 or more — ask Billy directly.
Ready to bake?
Classes sell out fast and seats go to the waitlist first. Leave your name and you’re in line — Billy emails the list the moment the next date is set.