e5 Bakehouse began in the spring of 2010, after Ben (the founder) had taken a short course in the essentials of sourdough bread- making at the School of Artisan Food. Returning to his home in Hackney, he re-invented himself as a baker and set about commissioning and building a clay oven in the corner of a railway arch, which he fuelled using off-cuts from local carpenters. This became home to a small group of bakers, all learning as they went along and sharing knowledge gleaned from books and the internet. Local chefs followed their noses and supported the Bakehouse by becoming wholesale customers, and the local community journeyed with them from their novice beginnings as the business developed and refined what they offered over time. Whilst sourcing local ingredients, e5 Bakehouse strives to operate their business in as ethical a manner as possible and place great emphasis on their legacy to future generations.