Christina Tosi facts for kids
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Tosi in 2013
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| Born | 1981 (age 43–44) Ohio, U.S. |
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| Cooking style | Pastry, dessert, French, Italian, Southern American cuisine |
| Education | University of Virginia James Madison University French Culinary Institute |
| Spouse |
Will Guidara
(m. 2016) |
Christina Tosi, born in 1981, is a famous American chef and author of cookbooks. She is the founder and co-owner of Milk Bar, a popular bakery known for its unique desserts. Christina is also the chef and CEO of Milk Bar.
In 2014, Food & Wine magazine recognized her as one of the "Most Innovative Women in Food and Drink." She has written several cookbooks and has been a judge on TV shows like MasterChef and MasterChef Junior. She also appeared on the Netflix series Bake Squad. Christina has won two prestigious James Beard Foundation Awards for her amazing work.
She is well-known for creating delicious treats like Milk Bar Pie and Cereal Milk.
Contents
Christina Tosi's Early Life and Education
Christina Tosi was born in 1981 in Berea, Ohio. Her father was an agricultural economist, and her mother worked in an accounting firm. She grew up mostly in Springfield, Virginia, with her older sister, Angela. Christina remembers being encouraged to always try her best and stay busy.
Her love for baking started when she was a child. Both of her grandmothers were enthusiastic bakers, and her parents also loved sweets. In high school, Christina was active in track and still enjoys running. She was also interested in math and learning foreign languages. During college, she gained experience working in restaurants, first as a server, then as a prep cook and baker.
Christina first studied electrical engineering at the University of Virginia. She then earned degrees in applied mathematics and Italian from James Madison University. After that, she decided to follow her passion for baking and enrolled in the pastry arts program at the French Culinary Institute. While studying there, she worked at a restaurant called Aquagrill, where she eventually became a maître d’hotel, helping to manage the dining room.
Christina Tosi's Culinary Journey
After culinary school, Christina moved to New York City. She worked at several well-known restaurants like Bouley and wd~50, and also interned at Saveur magazine. She soon realized that the very precise way of plating food in fine dining wasn't what she loved most.
In 2005, she was hired by David Chang at Momofuku, a famous restaurant group. Her first job was to help them with important food safety plans. This job was quite flexible, and she also helped with other tasks and worked with the NYC Department of Health.
Even though she wasn't baking professionally at Momofuku at first, Christina started baking at home again. She would bring her delicious homemade treats to work for her colleagues. David Chang noticed her talent and soon asked her to develop and manage all the desserts for Momofuku's restaurants.
Creating Milk Bar
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When Christina joined Momofuku, there were no desserts on the menu. She began creating unique pastries inspired by her favorite childhood flavors. One of her famous early creations was Cereal Milk-flavored panna cotta.
In 2008, a space became available next to one of Momofuku's restaurants. David Chang encouraged Christina to open her own bakery there. She named it Milk Bar. Christina even designed the first logo herself by simply typing 'milk' in a special font called Brush Script Medium.
Milk Bar opened its doors on November 15, 2008. In the beginning, Milk Bar had a small team of only five people and was often open for many hours each day. Christina's idea was to use fancy pastry techniques to make comforting, familiar desserts, served in a relaxed atmosphere. Today, she is both the chef and the chief executive officer of Milk Bar.
Famous Desserts and Influence
Christina Tosi created many popular recipes, including Cereal Milk, Compost Cookies, Milk Bar Pie (originally known by a different name), and Candy Bar Pie.
Her Cereal Milk flavor became so famous that in 2017, Ben & Jerry's introduced ice cream flavors that were noted for being very similar to her creation.
The New York Times mentioned in 2021 that her Cereal Milk flavor is one of her most recognizable creations. The Seattle Times also stated in 2022 that Christina is often seen as the person who started the trend of serving soft-serve ice cream in restaurants.
In 2022, Axios described her Cereal Milk and Milk Bar Pie as "cult favorites," meaning they have a very dedicated following. Food writer Francis Fabricant also said that Christina Tosi made Cereal Milk soft-serve and Compost Cookies very well-known.
Christina Tosi's Cookbooks
Christina Tosi has written several cookbooks and a book about her life.
Her first cookbook, Momofuku Milk Bar (2011), shared recipes from her famous bakery. It was published by Clarkson Potter. Reviewers noted that it was a detailed baking book, with many "sub-recipes" – smaller recipes that you need to make first before putting together the main dessert.
Her second book, Milk Bar Life (2015), was published by Random House. A reviewer from the New York Times Book Review said it was "impossible not to be charmed by the chatty Tosi and her hot pink and bubble-letter-filled never-never land..."
Christina's book Dessert Can Save the World (2022) shares her thoughts and stories about how desserts can bring joy.
Christina Tosi on TV and in Media
Christina Tosi became a judge on the popular TV show MasterChef starting with its sixth season in May 2015. She also judged MasterChef Junior from its fourth season in November 2015.
In April 2018, she was featured in an episode of Chef's Table: Pastry, a show that highlights top chefs. She has also been a presenter for the Netflix series Bake Squad and a judge on Chopped. In 2024, she appeared as herself in season 3 of the TV series The Bear.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Christina started "Bake Club." This was an online club where people could bake along with her every day, bringing fun and learning to many homes.
She has also appeared in advertisements for well-known brands like Subaru, American Express, Kellogg's, Estée Lauder, and Verizon.
Awards and Achievements
In 2014, Food and Wine Magazine recognized Christina Tosi as one of the "Most Innovative Women in Food and Drink." The New York Times praised her Cereal Milk, calling it a "brilliant idea" to turn the milk left after eating cereal into a delicious soft-serve dessert.
Christina has won several prestigious James Beard Foundation Awards. In 2012, she received the "Rising Star Chef of the Year" award for her work at Milk Bar, making her the first pastry chef to earn this honor. In 2015, she won the "Outstanding Pastry Chef" award.
In 2016, Crain's New York Business included Christina in their list of the top 40 business people under 40 years old in New York City, highlighting her success and influence.
Christina Tosi's Personal Life
The New York Times described Christina Tosi as someone who enjoys quiet activities. She likes to solve math problems, create popsicle stick art, and make friendship bracelets. She also enjoys running every day.
On July 30, 2016, Christina married Will Guidara, a well-known restaurateur in New York City. He was a co-owner of the famous restaurant Eleven Madison Park. In March 2021, Christina and Will welcomed their daughter. They lived in a beautiful apartment in the Flatiron District of New York City, which they bought in 2016. This apartment was later sold in October 2022.
