the curator
The curator
Tom Cucuzza is a self-taught sourdough baker who is obsessed with helping beginning to intermediate bakers understand the science and the “why” behind the steps of the sourdough baking process.
Tom dabbled in bread baking over the years but his first attempt at sourdough baking was in late 2019. Tom received Chad Robertson’s “Tartine Bread” as a gift, and by the end of 2019 he was headed down an irreversible path to find “the perfect loaf.”
Tom began his sourdough journey by watching hundreds of YouTube videos and he immersed himself in Chad Robertson’s Tartine sourdough method. But Tom found many YouTube videos lacking in the level of detail required for beginners and found mindboggling inconsistencies among recommended baking methods. This was the moment when the idea was born to capture his sourdough journey in a series of YouTube videos as Tom studied the literature, learned the craft through experimentation and made all of the common beginner mistakes.
the videos
Tom launched The Sourdough Journey channel on YouTube in February 2020 as he documented one of his early bakes in the popular series “Tartine Bread: Beginner Mistakes and Tips using the Tartine Method.”
That video’s tremendous response led to the development of Tom’s signature style – long-format videos based on multi-loaf experiments, demonstrating every step of the process. Tom’s videos are not contrived “studio bakes” or eight-minute videos trying to oversimplify a 36-hour process. Every video is a first-of-a-kind experiment and the videos cover the science, the techniques, every step of the process, and the results, which include – just like in real life – the good, the bad and the ugly. These videos are demonstrations of REAL SOURDOUGH BAKING.
Most sourdough baking videos skip over many of the important steps and leave out critical details. Tom’s long-format videos are based on the goal of creating scientifically repeatable experiments with sufficient detail for the home baker to replicate the exact same results in their own kitchen. These videos stand alone in this level of rigor. All of Tom’s experiments are based on Chad Robertson’s popular Country Bread recipe so beginning bakers can follow along at home and replicate the experiments and results.
In addition, Tom broke all the rules for YouTube instructional videos by producing full-length, Master Class format videos, with limited ads. The incessant interruption of ads impedes the learning process. Sourdough Journey videos have no ads for the first 20 minutes and 20-minute uninterrupted segments between ads.
The tools
Over the past few years, Tom has developed groundbreaking tools and techniques including the incredible Bulk-O-Matic system for helping beginning sourdough bakers determine when bulk fermentation is done, and the Low and Slow Method of baking for post-pandemic bakers with busy schedules.
Tom is committed to solving the mysteries of sourdough baking for beginners and creating tools to help sourdough bakers improve their success rates and achieve their full potential.
The testimonials and reviews are undeniable. The Sourdough Journey is a one-of-a-kind resource for sourdough bakers. There is nothing else like it out there. Tom has a unique ability to explain complex concepts in a clear and straightforward manner. And his unique sense of humor adds some much-needed levity to the sourdough baking world.
Tom continues his Journey from the World Headquarters of the International Institute for the Advancement of Sourdough Science and Research of Cleveland, Ohio (also known as his kitchen).
Help keep the journey going!
Tom envisions an ad-free sourdough world and this is only made possible through your generous support. Your donations keep The Journey going and are greatly appreciated!
Our Core Values
- Shorten the learning curve for sourdough bakers
- Dramatically improve success rates for beginners
- Communicate clear, fact-based information
- Develop innovative tools for sourdough bakers
- Share knowledge