Founder & Head Baker
James Carter
Started the bakery with a single sourdough starter and a stubborn belief in slow fermentation. James still shapes every batch of Country White by hand.
Slow-fermented sourdough, baked daily in Bexleyheath.
Baked with patience, shared with pride
From a home oven to a Bexleyheath counter — the Crust & Crumb story.
Read our story
How it started
A home baker, a market stall, and a shop on the high street.
Crust & Crumb began with a single sourdough starter and a conviction that good bread takes time. James Carter spent years perfecting his loaves in a home kitchen before taking them to a Saturday market stall. The response was immediate — neighbours queued for the crackling crust and open crumb. In 2019, the shop on Broadway opened its doors, and the daily rhythm of the bakehouse became part of Bexleyheath's mornings.
Meet the team
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The starter
A living culture, fed daily since 2016.
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The stall
Saturday mornings at the local market, rain or shine.
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The shop
On Broadway since 2019, baking for the neighbourhood.
The bakery in numbers
The craft behind every loaf, measured.
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24h
Minimum fermentation time for every loaf
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40+
Loaves baked fresh each morning
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12
Different bakes on the counter daily
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2
Bread Club collection days per week
The people behind the counter
Three hands, one obsession: bread done properly.
Pastry Chef
Elena Rossi
Trained in Paris, obsessed with lamination. Elena's croissants take three days from mixer to oven — and it shows in every shattering layer.
Shop Manager
Sam Patel
Keeps the counter full and the regulars happy. Sam knows most customers by name and their usual order by heart.
Inside the bakehouse
A visual tour of where the magic happens.
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01
The oven
Our deck oven, loaded at dawn.
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02
The proofing room
Where the dough rests and develops flavour.
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03
The pastry bench
Where croissants are laminated by hand.