Live Episode! Milk Bar: Christina Tosi

Podcast Summary

• Going the Extra Mile: Personal Connections in Business: Stand out by creating a strong company culture, offering exceptional customer service, producing high-quality products, and prioritizing personal connections in business.

  Building a successful business often involves finding ways to stand out and connect with customers on a personal level. Whether it's through creating a strong company culture, offering exceptional customer service, or producing high-quality products, the key is to go above and beyond expectations. For instance, Wondery Plus subscribers can enjoy ad-free access to podcasts like "How I Built This," where they can learn about innovative entrepreneurs and their stories. Business travelers can make their trips more enjoyable by prioritizing leisure time and using the right rewards credit card, like the Delta Sky Miles Platinum Business American Express Card. And insurance companies like Amica are focusing on empathy and human connection to provide more than just policies. Moreover, creating a strong company culture is essential for growth, and HR providers like Insparity can help businesses build a culture aligned with their goals. And even in the food industry, where producing high-quality products at scale can be challenging, entrepreneurs like Christina Tosi of Milk Bar are able to create joy for customers through their precise attention to detail and unique offerings. So whether you're building a business, planning a work trip, or just enjoying a delicious dessert, remember that the little things can make a big difference. Go the extra mile, prioritize personal connections, and strive for excellence in all that you do.

• From Junk Food to Milk Bar: Christina Tosi's Unconventional Journey: Christina Tosi's unique background in academics and junk food led her to break rules and create innovative desserts, resulting in a successful business and cult following.

  Christina Tosi's unconventional upbringing, filled with academic rigor and a love for baking, led her to become a successful pastry chef and founder of Milk Bar. Raised on junk food, she found solace in the kitchen, where she broke the rules and discovered her passion for creating unique desserts. Her curiosity and deft fingers transformed cereal milk into a signature soft-serve ice cream, and her persistence paid off with a cult following and millions in revenue. Despite her humble beginnings, Tosi's academic background and Italian heritage foreshadowed her future success in the culinary world. Her story is a testament to the power of curiosity, determination, and the transformative potential of breaking the rules.

• Discovering one's true calling through passion: Following your passions can lead to unexpected opportunities and a fulfilling career, even if it means deviating from a traditional path.

  Following your passion can lead you to unexpected places. The speaker grew up baking, but didn't see a connection between it and her studies in applied mathematics. After graduating in three years, she realized she didn't want to pursue a career in mathematics. Instead, she asked herself what she was passionate about and discovered it was baking. She moved to New York City to pursue her passion, starting a business selling big cookies. Her upbringing and experiences shaped her, but it wasn't until she followed her passion that she found her true calling. The speaker's story highlights the importance of self-discovery and the power of following one's passions, even if it means taking an unconventional path.

• Pursuing unconventional dreams and passions: Following your dreams and passions, even if it means deviating from a traditional education path, can lead to transformative experiences, personal growth, and success.

  Following your dreams and passions, even if they mean deviating from a traditional education path or defying expectations, can lead to transformative experiences and personal growth. The speaker's decision to pursue a career as a pastry chef at a French culinary institute in New York City, despite her parents' concerns, resulted in an intense and rewarding journey filled with hard work, dedication, and self-discovery. Culinary school provided her with valuable technical skills and a sense of community, while working long hours in the industry helped her develop resilience and determination. Ultimately, the speaker's unwavering commitment to her dream paid off, leading her to a successful career in the culinary world.

• Learning from Tough Kitchen Experiences: Christina Tosi's challenging experiences in various kitchens shaped her career, teaching her the importance of perseverance, adaptability, and expanding skills beyond pastry cooking.

  Christina Tosi's experience in the kitchens of various restaurants, including Boulay and WD-50, was challenging but essential in shaping her career as a pastry chef. Despite the tough working conditions, she was determined to learn and improve, driven by her curiosity and adventurous spirit. Her experiences taught her the importance of perseverance and adaptability, as well as the value of expanding her skills beyond just pastry cooking. At Boulay, she honed her technique and learned the basics, while at WD-50, she discovered her passion for innovation and food safety. Overall, her experiences in the kitchens were formative in helping her define her identity as a chef and pave the way for her successful career at Milk Bar.

• Starting with a simple chess pie, the speaker's experimentation led to her first successful dessert: Through creativity, resourcefulness, and persistence, the speaker transformed a basic recipe into a successful dessert despite limited resources and unfamiliar kitchen regulations.

  The speaker's experience in a high-pressure restaurant environment led her to experiment with dessert recipes, starting with a simple chess pie, using only basic pantry items. Despite the lack of resources and following recipes strictly, her tinkering and determination resulted in her first successful dessert, which she shared with her colleagues during family meal. This experience was a crucial stepping stone in her culinary career and showcases the importance of creativity, resourcefulness, and persistence in the kitchen. The restaurant's strict health safety regulations also played a role in her learning about various cooking techniques and flavor manipulation. Overall, this anecdote highlights the speaker's passion for baking and her ability to turn limitations into opportunities.

• Overcoming Embarrassment and Finding a New Path in the Culinary World: Adapting to unexpected challenges and finding a supportive work environment can lead to personal growth and success in the culinary industry.

  In the culinary world, presenting a family meal is an opportunity to showcase one's skills and personal taste. However, during one family meal at WD-50, the speaker was embarrassed when their dessert didn't set properly, leading to a chaotic scene. Meanwhile, David Chang of Momofuku was facing similar issues with health department regulations due to innovative cooking techniques. When Wiley, the speaker's chef, asked for help, the speaker joined Chang's team, initially unsure of her role. Despite the uncertainty, she found a connection with Chang and began working there, eventually finding her place in the industry. This experience highlights the importance of resilience and adaptability in the face of unexpected challenges, as well as the value of finding a work environment where one feels understood and valued.

• Discovering the potential of cereal milk as a dessert base: Christina Tosi revolutionized dessert making by infusing milk with cereal to create unique flavors, starting with a cereal milk panna cotta at Momofuku.

  During his time at Momofuku, Christina Tosi discovered a passion for desserts, particularly experimenting with unconventional flavors. At a time when desserts were seen as a waste of resources and a luxury, Tosi began infusing milk with cereal to create unique desserts. She would bring these creations to work as a way to express her creativity and connect with her colleagues. The first of these innovations was a cereal milk panna cotta, which was met with excitement and curiosity. By experimenting with the "lowest common denominator" of milk and exploring various grocery store aisles, Tosi discovered the potential for cereal milk as a flavor base. The success of this experiment encouraged her to continue pushing boundaries in dessert making, leading to the creation of iconic dishes like Momofuku's Milk Bar's Crack Pie.

• Creating Milk Bar: Pushing Boundaries and Finding Innovation: Taking risks, pushing boundaries, and finding inspiration in unexpected places can lead to the creation of something truly unique and memorable.

  The creation of Momofuku Milk Bar was a result of pushing boundaries and finding innovation in unexpected places. The speaker, Christina, was initially asked to make desserts for Momofuku restaurants, but saw an opportunity to create something unique and distinctly her own. She recalls the excitement and surprise of her colleagues when she presented her unconventional take on strawberry shortcake, made with high-fat butter shortcake, macerated strawberries, and sour cream whipped cream. This success led to the opportunity to open Milk Bar next door to a Momofuku restaurant, where she could create desserts for both the bakery and the restaurants. The story highlights the importance of taking risks, pushing boundaries, and finding inspiration in unexpected places to create something truly unique and memorable.

• Trusting your instincts and embracing new opportunities: Embrace unexpected opportunities, trust your gut, learn from the best using technology, and continuously grow.

  Success often comes unexpectedly, even for those who are experienced and ambitious. Christina Tosi, the founder of Milk Bar, shares how she seized an opportunity to start her business without a formal business plan or legal help. Instead, she trusted her instincts and said "yes" to a cool opportunity. This story highlights the importance of being open to new experiences and trusting your gut, even when the path forward isn't clear. Additionally, the discussion touches on the role of technology, specifically AI, in accelerating work and improving collaboration within teams. Atlassian, a company that creates AI-powered software, is leading the way in this area, helping teams accomplish what would otherwise be impossible alone. Finally, the episode emphasizes the importance of learning from the best to become your best. Masterclass, an educational platform, offers access to classes taught by world-renowned experts, allowing individuals to learn new skills and improve their abilities. In summary, the key takeaway is to trust your instincts, embrace new opportunities, and continuously learn and grow through technology and education.

• Creating a unique brand identity with limited resources: Focusing on unique theory behind baked goods and creating a stand-out space led to Milk Bar's success despite limited resources and opening during a recession.

  Christina Tosi's success with Milk Bar came from creating a unique and memorable brand identity, even with limited resources. She focused on the theory behind her baked goods and created a space that inspired and stood out. With a simple neon milk sign and affordable decor, she attracted attention and built a loyal customer base. Her unconventional desserts, like the cornflake chocolate chip marshmallow cookie, became instant hits. Despite opening during the recession, people were drawn to the scene and the unknown, trusting the Momofuku name. With a dedicated team and a willingness to take risks, Tosi turned Milk Bar into a beloved bakery that continues to thrive.

• From limited resources to national fame: Milk Bar's journey: A commitment to quality, affordability, and accessibility can lead to business success despite financial constraints and increasing popularity

  Passion and dedication can lead to a successful business, even with limited resources. Christina Tosi, the founder of Milk Bar, shared her experience of managing a bakery while maintaining high standards for her recipes, all while dealing with increasing popularity and a narrow profit margin. She was committed to keeping her business accessible to everyone, refusing to compromise on quality, and keeping prices affordable. Her business was funded through loans and her own hard work, and she prioritized both emotional and financial success. A turning point came when Anderson Cooper mentioned her crack pie on national television, leading to a surge in interest. Despite the challenges, Tosi remained focused on her mission and continued to inspire her customers with affordable, delicious treats.

• Adapting to unexpected business opportunities: Remain focused and adaptable when faced with sudden business growth or challenges. Seek input from trusted partners and prioritize operational concerns to meet customer demand.

  When faced with unexpected opportunities or challenges, it's essential to rise to the occasion and adapt. The speaker shares a story about how a sudden surge in demand for her pies led her to expand her business, despite having limited time and resources. She describes the experience as both stressful and exhilarating, and mentions that operational concerns became a major focus. She also discusses the dynamic relationship with her business partner, who provided valuable input and challenged her perspective. Through it all, she remained focused on the goal of improving the business and finding creative solutions to meet customer demand. The experience taught her the importance of resilience, adaptability, and teamwork in the face of uncertainty.

• Expanding a Small Business: Entrepreneurs face tough decisions about growth. While keeping it a lifestyle business is an option, scaling up and taking on more risks can lead to reaching more customers and growing the business further. Staying true to brand and values is crucial during growth.

  Running a business involves making tough decisions about its growth and direction. For the bakery owner in this conversation, she started small but soon faced the challenge of expanding to meet demand. She could have chosen to keep it a lifestyle business, but instead, she decided to scale up and open more stores to support larger production. This required taking on more risks and expenses, but it also allowed her to reach more customers and grow the business further. Another key takeaway is the importance of staying true to the brand and values, even as trends and competition evolve. The bakery owner expressed her excitement about seeing dessert trends become mainstream, but also saw it as an opportunity to differentiate herself and continue innovating. Overall, this conversation highlights the entrepreneurial spirit and determination required to build and grow a successful business.

• Choosing to Raise Funds While Staying True to Values: Milk Bar's founder, Christina Tosi, raised external funds to fuel growth and share her humanity-centered, handmade products with a larger audience, while staying true to her values and principles.

  Milk Bar's founder, Christina Tosi, saw an inflection point in her business where she chose to raise external funds while staying true to her values and principles. She did this to fuel growth and continue sharing her humanity-centered, handmade products with a larger audience. Tosi's strong work ethic and dedication to her craft have led to significant success, but she remains passionate about her business and continues to innovate. She emphasizes the importance of opportunity over luck in her achievements. Milk Bar now has 16 shops, a substantial mail order business, and 440 employees. Tosi's growth has allowed her to enjoy the fruits of her labor by taking time for herself and visiting her family, but she remains committed to her craft and continues to explore new ideas.

• The power of persistence, hard work, and a positive mindset: Believing in oneself and continuously sharpening skills, even without initial advantages, can lead to success. Seizing opportunities also plays a crucial role.

  Persistence and hard work, coupled with a positive mindset, can lead to success, even for those who may not initially have all the skills or opportunities. This was highlighted in the conversation between Adam Grant and Christina Tosi on How I Built This. Christina shared her belief in the power of showing up and meaning it, which she credits for her success in building Milk Bar. Additionally, she emphasized the importance of continuously sharpening skills and seizing opportunities. Meanwhile, on Rethinking, Adam pondered the hypothetical implications of Drew Brees not failing his physical with the Dolphins and instead playing under Nick Saban in Miami. This thought experiment underscores the idea that even small decisions can have significant, far-reaching consequences. Overall, these discussions emphasize the importance of resilience, determination, and seizing opportunities to achieve success.