KANSAS CITY, MO — Enthusiasm for baking sourdough at home may have petered out since its heyday during the stay-at-home days of the pandemic, but interest in artisan bread remains strong among people looking for fresh, crusty, rustic loaves.

“I think the average customer is a lot more educated in terms of what artisan baking is,” said Ellen King, co-owner and director of baking operations at Chicago-based Hewn, a bakery located on the city’s North Shore that specializes in made-from-scratch breads. “The pandemic really helped expose people to sourdough bread, and I think customers have a better understanding of why it’s important to come to an artisan bakery that works with local farmers to source their grains.”

Bary Yogev, co-owner and head baker of Liv Breads in Millburn, NJ, said he thinks consumers have a greater appreciation for sourdough and artisan bread after their own bread baking experiences at home during lockdown.

“People realized the process is not as easy as you think,” he said. “Maybe you had the time to grow a starter of your own … and kill one of your own. When you’ve tried and failed, you understand the value of a good quality sourdough bread from a bakery.”