Companion #01

Breadmaking has long been a popular leisure activity, the perfect combination of craft and reward. So it’s surprising that nobody’s thought to publish a magazine about the subject until now. But who better to step in and do just that than Gail’s bakery? Companion (the word includes the Latin ‘com’ for with and ‘pan’ for bread) has been put together by Gail’s in-house creative team, and covers the past, present and future of baking through essays, short stories, poems, articles and recipes.

Showing a keen understanding of the indie mag world, it celebrates the craft of baking while also digging into the culture surrounding the activity. This is more than a promotional piece for the chain of high street bakeries. ‘It was clear to me that it was time to shed some light on what Gail’s does but also what excites and inspires us,’ says creative director Roy Levy in his intro. This first issue is themed bread, and includes stories about a prison bakery, a guide to the hidden breadmakers of London, and an interview with ‘Queen of Sourdough’ Vanessa Kimbell. Plus plenty of gorgeous photography and illustration.