July 16, 2021 4.31 pm This story is over 32 months old

The Lincolnite Tries: Mobile van goodies from Bread + Cheese

Former lecturer had an unusual career change
Adam O'Meara is hitting the road to offer the people of Lincolnshire some brilliant tasting Bread + Cheese. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
By Local Democracy Reporter

A former University of Lincoln lecturer gave up his job of nearly 20 years to pursue his passion, which eventually birthed the new company Bread + Cheese.

Adam O’Meara, 50, was a photography lecturer at the University of Lincoln for 19 years, but he left in August 2019 in pursuit of a new challenge.

Adam told The Lincolnite that “life’s too short” and he just wanted to give something else a try, but not before taking some time away from work.

Adam O’Meara rolled the dice after leaving his university lecturer job, but is enjoying every second of it. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“Leaving a job after so long is like killing a part of your personality,” Adam said, “so I had to take a year out to come to terms with the decision.”

His family ties are with food, as his family run the Cheese Society in Lincoln, so he decided to follow that avenue after leaving the university.

A vast array of tasty bread, all supplied by Vines Bakery. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

He started working with his family at the Cheese Society until the coronavirus pandemic prompted him to go on furlough.

After a while on furlough, Adam then came up with the idea of a mobile van offering bread and cheese to people in surrounding villages of Lincoln, inspired by the popularity of mobile food vans in France.

Sourdough loaves are a specialty, as are the lovely pastries. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

His first few attempts at making bread were, in Adam’s words, “absolutely terrible,” so he went to Vines Bakery for some work experience.

Adam then started using Vines Bakery to supply bread and combining that with the cheese that from the Cheese Society, he launched Bread + Cheese on January 30, 2021.

Adam rotates between five signatures cheeses each month. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Bread + Cheese operates from a mobile van that parks up in 12-14 villages across Lincolnshire, providing tasty and eclectic ranges of bread and cheese for the county.

His products include sourdough loaves of bread, butter croissants, apricot danishes and strong cheeses, which he changes each month.

Adam said: “I think the best part about doing this has been having the chance to get out and about during lockdown.

“The customers have been brilliant, I have a few regulars who are great, the response has been really surprising in a good way.”

A chocolate covered knot pastry, and boy was it good! | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Most bread loaves cost £3.80, while pastries vary from £2 to £2.60, and cheeses are £4 a piece, as well as having extra items on offer, such as chilli jam.

The Bread + Cheese van will be in Lincoln this Saturday, starting at Burton Road between 8.30am and 9.30am, before moving up to West Parade for 10-11am and ending at the Arboretum between 11.30am and 12.30pm.

Enough to give anyone food envy. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

To keep up to date with where the van will be stopping next, follow Bread + Cheese on Facebook and Instagram.