Daily Inspiration: Meet Lauren Quiambao

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Quiambao.

Hi Lauren, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
It all started with my love of cooking and baking for the people I love. I wanted to bake bread for my family and friends that was truly nourishing, something that supported steady blood sugar and a healthy gut. This search led me to sourdough.
What drew me in is how simple it is. Just flour, water, and salt, with no preservatives or extra ingredients. The long fermentation does the work, making the bread easier to digest and gentler on blood sugar than most store-bought loaves. Sourdough fermentation has good evidence for improving digestibility and lowering the glycemic response compared to many breads.
I’ve been a nurse for over 20 years, so I’ve seen firsthand what chronic inflammation and glucose spikes can do to people’s health over time. Most people have no idea that something as everyday as bread can be part of a healthier lifestyle. Now I get to share that, and teaching people when they come to me, it is one of my greatest joys.
What began as baking for my family grew into feeding my community. Today I sell at pop-ups and run bread drops, and I love that I get to put real food made with real ingredients into people’s hands. Being able to do that has been a constant source of encouragement for me. I believe real food should be accessible to everyone, and my next step is teaching people to bake it themselves.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Honestly, it hasn’t always been smooth, and I think that’s part of the journey. Learning bulk fermentation was a huge struggle for me. At my very first pop-up, I had pre-orders, and half of my loaves were over-fermented and had to be thrown out. It was discouraging, but it taught me more than any success could have.

Other challenges followed: the time and physical effort of baking at volume, pricing real-ingredient bread fairly, and balancing family life with my nursing career and now sourdough.

Over a year later, I’m grateful to say I’ve mastered bulk fermentation. I’ve even found easier methods that cut down on sleep deprivation and help me balance my personal and professional life.

What carried me through was the community. Their encouragement and support have been incredible, and it makes me want to give back even more. I want to teach people to bake sourdough themselves, so they can feed their families and friends healthy bread and support their gut health, too. When more of us are baking real food with real ingredients, the whole community benefits.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a Filipina-owned small-batch sourdough baker. I make naturally leavened bread with simple ingredients (flour, water, and salt), and I sell at pop-ups and through bread drops in my community.

What I’m known for is putting a personal twist on traditional sourdough. My ube sourdough and sourdough cookies bring a Filipino flavor to the table that people don’t expect from a sourdough bakery.

What I’m most proud of is how far I’ve come. I went from losing half my loaves at my very first pop-up to mastering bulk fermentation and baking with confidence. I’m also proud that what started as feeding my family has grown into feeding my community.

What sets me apart is the combination of my background and my heart. After 20+ years as a nurse, I understand how food affects long-term health, and I bring that knowledge to every loaf. Everything is small batch and made with care and intention, because I believe real food with real ingredients should be accessible to everyone. My next step is teaching others to bake it, so more families can enjoy it at home.

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
My biggest advice is to give yourself grace. Learning sourdough is trial and error, and failed loaves are part of the process. At my very first pop-up, half my pre-ordered loaves were over-fermented and had to be thrown out. It stung, but it taught me more than any success could have. Bulk fermentation took me over a year to master, and now I can teach it.

Here’s what I wish I’d known when I started:

1. Start small. Bake small batches, learn your dough, and grow only when you’re consistent.
2. Respect your time and your costs. Real-ingredient bread takes real effort, so price it fairly. Your work has value.
3. Look for easier ways. Baking at volume is physically demanding, and you don’t have to run on no sleep. Streamlining your process protects your energy and your balance.
4. Lean on your community. The support of the people who buy, share, and cheer for your bread will carry you through the hard days.

Most of all, keep going. Every mistake is a lesson you’ll one day pass on to someone else.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Sarapsourdough.com
• Instagram: sarapsourdough
• Facebook: sarapsourdough
• Other: https://Hotplate.com/sarapsourdough

Image Credits
The Lounge Booth