567: New York’s Buzziest Bakery with Shilpa & Miro Uskokovic
Apr 4, 2025
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Shilpa Uskokovic, a senior test kitchen editor at Bon Appétit, and her husband Miro Uskokovic, a pastry chef with a rich background at Gramercy Tavern, share their culinary adventures. They discuss running Hani’s Bakery + Café in NYC, infusing nostalgic favorites with innovative twists like pistachio rice treats. Shilpa reflects on her journey from restaurants to food media, while Miro highlights the thrilling, chaotic world of restaurant service. The couple emphasizes the joy of baking and connecting with the community through delicious desserts.
Shilpa Uzkokovic reflects on her transformative culinary education at the CIA that significantly shaped her career and creative approach.
Miro Uzkokovic shares insights on the importance of technique in pastry and the joy of creating desserts that evoked childhood memories.
Hani's Bakery + Café aims to balance traditional American baking with innovation while focusing on seasonal ingredients and communal enjoyment.
Deep dives
Upcoming Live Events in NYC
Two live tapings of the show will occur at Rizzoli Bookstore in Manhattan. The first features Barbara Costello, known for her Brunch with Babs accounts, discussing her new cookbook, Cooking with Babs, on April 8th. The second event, on May 5th, will showcase photographer and journalist Craig Maude, who will read from his memoir, Things Become Other Things, focusing on his life experiences in Japan. Tickets for these events can be purchased through the Rizzoli website.
Shilpa Uzkokovic's Culinary Journey
Shilpa Uzkokovic, now the senior test kitchen editor at Bon Appetit, shares insights about her career path that began at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA). Although her professional cooking career started unexpectedly, she credits culinary school with enriching her life and helping her meet influential people, including her husband. At Bon Appetit, she discusses the popularity of the Bake Club initiative, which encourages people to engage in baking. Shilpa emphasizes the importance of spontaneous creativity in cooking and how her experiences at CIA shaped her culinary identity.
Miro Uzkokovic's Pastry Career
Miro Uzkokovic, a celebrated pastry chef, shares his extensive background in the culinary field, having worked at renowned restaurants, including Gramercy Tavern for over a decade. He discusses transitioning from savory cooking to pastry and how his time at various high-end establishments has influenced his approach to desserts. Miro expresses his passion for creating desserts and explains the importance of technique in refining their flavors and presentations. His accolades highlight his commitment to excellence in the pastry segment of the culinary industry.
Expanding Offerings at Honey's Bakery
Honey's Bakery, co-owned by Shilpa and Miro, aims to cater to sweet cravings by focusing on cakes and cookies rather than following the trend of eclairs and croissants. They have become known for signature offerings like their carrot cake, triple chocolate chunk cookies, and cinnamon buns. Miro mentions plans to introduce sandwiches and expand savory items within their menu to complement their baked goods. The growth of Honey's Bakery reveals a dedication to both honoring traditional American baking and innovating with personal childhood influences.
The Importance of Flavor and Simplicity
Discussing the philosophy behind Honey's Bakery, Miro emphasizes the balance between incorporating sophisticated flavors and maintaining simplicity in their offerings. He expresses a commitment to using seasonal fruits and authentic ingredients while keeping pastry production streamlined. The focus on larger, shareable sizes highlights the communal nature of enjoying desserts in everyday life. Miro's approach centers around ensuring that every item in the bakery reflects a deep connection to fond culinary memories and personal heritage.
The Challenges of Culinary Operations
Miro discusses the complexities involved in managing the bakery operations efficiently, which has about 22 staff members working in limited space. They start kitchen operations as early as 4:30 AM, ensuring that baked goods remain fresh throughout the day. Maintaining a fast-paced environment is essential, as the bakery serves around 3,000 customers weekly, which also requires balancing product offerings to avoid overwhelming guests. The collaborative efforts of the team help streamline production while continuously addressing evolving customer demands.
We have such a great episode today. Shilpa and Miro Uskokovic are the husband and wife duo behind the amazing new New York City bakery Hani’s Bakery + Café, located in the East Village. First up Matt has an amazing conversation with Shilpa about her professional cooking career, which led to a job at Bon Appétit. Today Shilpa is BA’s senior test kitchen editor, and we talk about some of the stories she is working on and how the new BA Bake Club is getting so many people to take a break and just bake.
Later on, Aliza catches up with Miro to talk about his own incredible pastry career and his legacy as pastry chef at Gramercy Tavern, where he worked for over a decade. Of course, they also talk about Hani’s and the amazing desserts, breads, and other items lining the bakery’s case. Shilpa and Miro are two of our favorites in food—what a power couple! I hope you enjoy this episode.
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