Tom Herbert

Tom Herbert

Innovations Director, Hobbs House Bakery

https://www.hobbshousebakery.co.uk
I am innovations director at my families business Hobbs House Bakery in Chipping Sodbury near Bristol, and a fifth generation baker. With hot bread in my genes, I love to share real, handmade bread, winning people over to the light side, through hands-on training, baking workshops, and with my brother Henry via 3 and a half series of C4’s Fabulous Baker Brothers show, and now gaining fans globally on Discovery Network. Ask me anything twitter.com/Tom_Herbert_ See what I’m loving and which fingers I’ve got in what pies > https://uk.pinterest.com/herbert1770/

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Tom's favorite cookbooks

River Cottage Meat Book

River Cottage Meat Book

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

I’ve loved this book to bits, quite literally. The way Hugh introduces meat, raised the bar for me on what a cook book can do in a delicious and inspiring way. I met HF-W a few years later and he said that my well thumbed, kitchen stained book was the most satisfying thing as he signed it.

A Modern Way to Eat

A Modern Way to Eat

Anna Jones

We cook from this book a lot at home and Anna’s recipes are so good you won’t miss meat, I’ve 4 hungry kids that’ll attest to it. I’ve loved working with Anna over the years and the most impressive thing she’s said is that “with every mouth full you take, is a vote for your well being”. I’m stoked that my love of baking has in a small way rubbed off on Anna with her Never Superseeded Loaf recipe in this book, thank you Anna.

French Provincial Cooking

French Provincial Cooking

Elizabeth David

My dad bought a first addition of this book for my wife Anna. Over the course of a year Anna cooked every recipe [except for the one with Thrush in it]. Our 4 kids made out they hated it, the book was retrieved from the bin on numerous occasions, was offered up as kindling twice and thrown out of the car once. They’ll thank us, is what we tell them. Our eating at home has switched up a step and a half. Thank you ED.

Ballymaloe Cookery Course

Ballymaloe Cookery Course

Darina Allen

I once made ash baked flatbreads over a camp fire in the woods at the Do Lectures with 30 of the world’s Do’ers, we then met up with Darina’s team of 30 lemon curd makers and had a messy, balmy summer evening party. I then obviously found out about Ballymaloe and got this book. It’s THE authority in our house on how to do technical cooking stuff, it is clear, works and tastes great.

Free Food for Rats

Free Food for Rats

Anja Dunk

I’ve had the pleasure of eating Anja’s beguiling food on many holidays to Fforest in West Wales. A treasured genre of cook books that this one is the top of, is where the author shares personal stories that bring the food to life, making us compelled to cook and dine from it, and in time these wonderful and full-of-life recipes become part of our own tasty story.

The Urban Rajah's Curry Memoirs

The Urban Rajah's Curry Memoirs

Ivor Peters

Have you ever bought a book on the strength of a man’s magnificent moustache and his smile? I have, and at least once a week our bellies are satiated and the Herbert house takes on the wonderful aroma of the Urban Rajah’s recipes. Thank you Ivor, I don’t have your moustache but I smile like you when I feast on the food you’ve given us.

Baking with Passion (Baker & Spice)

Baking with Passion (Baker & Spice)

Dan Lepard and Richard Whittington

This book came out when I was at Baking College and was a real inspiration to me. I’ve cooked almost everything in it and developed a deep respect for Dan. I very nearly got work experience with Baker & Spice until the boss, Gail, found out I was from Hobbs House Bakery and refused me. So I’ve stuck with the book and still refer to it like an old friend, all be it a one-way-relationship.

Grillstock: The BBQ Book

Grillstock: The BBQ Book

I’ve got to know Jon as he and Ben planned the first Grillstock festival, it was about the time my brother Henry and I were filming BBQ in the U.S. deep south for Discovery Network. Inspired, I developed the Ultimate Burger Bap and launched it at Grillstock and the bap has gone onto become a mainstay on their restaurant’s menus. I love a proper bbq and this book is a finger lickin’ side kick for every BBQ now. Thanks Jon and Ben for including my bap recipe in your book, it isn’t a good burger if it’s in a shoddy bun. Peace&Loaf.