An older baker at a farmers market quizzed me about my sourdough starter and I still disagree with their method

Last summer I was selling loaves at the Portland farmers market and this retired baker, maybe 70 years old, picked up my sourdough and asked why I feed my starter twice a day. I told him it keeps the rise strong, but he laughed and said he only feeds his once a week and bakes right from the fridge. He claimed the slower fermentation gives more flavor and I'm just wasting flour, probably $60 a month extra on my feeding schedule. I tried his way for two weeks and my loaves came out flat and bland, no depth at all. I respect his experience, but my market sales dipped 15% during that experiment and I switched right back. Has anyone else had an old-timer insist their lazy method beats yours, only for it to flop when you actually try it?

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