Milk Bar CEO Christina Tosi: How a Home Baker Built One of America's Most Beloved Brands | E165

Christina Tosi didn’t have a clear five-year plan when she graduated from college. She tried different majors, worked odd jobs, and kept searching for the thing that felt like hers. Baking became the answer she could not ignore. With relentless persistence, she went from a hostess stand to New York restaurant kitchens, proving herself one dessert at a time. That same drive eventually turned a tiny laundromat space into Milk Bar, the dessert empire known for bold flavors, nostalgic treats, and joyful care packages shipped across the country. In this episode, Christina joins Ilana to share how experimentation leads to clarity, why failure is essential to mastery, and what it really takes to build a business rooted in creativity, community, and joy. Christina Tosi is the founder and CEO of Milk Bar, the iconic dessert brand known for its bold, nostalgic treats like the Compost Cookie and cereal milk soft serve. She is a two-time James Beard Award winner and New York Times bestselling author.

In this episode, Ilana and Christina will discuss:

(00:00) Introduction

(05:53) How Childhood Baking Sparked a Career

(10:04) Testing Different Paths Until One Felt Right

(17:56) The Embarrassing Failure That Fueled Her

(22:04) Finding Mentors and Moving to New York

(28:10) The Simple Networking Move That Opened Doors

(31:17) The Cookie That Put Milk Bar on the Map

(38:00) Turning Failure Into Fuel for Growth

(45:04) Building Milk Bar in a Tiny Laundromat

(49:47) Pushing Through Criticism, Burnout, and COVID

(1:03:10) The Shift from Pastry Chef to CEO

(1:08:11) Why Discomfort Can Become Your Edge

(1:16:43) Betting on Yourself Before You Feel Ready

Christina Tosi is the founder and CEO of Milk Bar, a nationally beloved dessert brand with locations across the U.S. She is a two-time James Beard Award winner, TED speaker, and New York Times bestselling author of seven cookbooks. Christina also created Bake Club, a free online baking community launched during COVID that continues to bring bakers together around the world.

Connect with Christina:

Website: christinatosi.com/ 

Christina’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/christina-tosi  

Christina’s Instagram: instagram.com/christinatosi/ 

Christina’s YouTube: youtube.com/christinatosi 

Resources Mentioned:Bake Club: bakeclub.com/ 

Leap Academy:

Ready to make the LEAP in your career? There is a NEW WAY for professionals to fast-track their careers and leap to bigger opportunities. 

Check out our free training today at https://bit.ly/leap--free-training

📲 Connect with Ilana: Facebook ▶️ https://www.facebook.com/IlanaGolanLeapAcademy LinkedIn ▶️ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ilanagolan/ Instagram ▶️ https://www.instagram.com/ilanagolanleap Website ▶️ https://www.leapacademy.com/