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 an American chef and cookbook author. She is famous for creating unique desserts. Christina is the founder and co-owner of Milk Bar. She also works as its main chef and CEO.
Food & Wine magazine recognized her in 2014. They called her one of the "Most Innovative Women in Food and Drink." She has written several cookbooks. Christina has also been a judge on TV shows like MasterChef. She has won two James Beard Foundation awards. She is known for inventing popular treats like Milk Bar Pie and Cereal Milk.
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Early Life and Learning
Christina Tosi was born in 1981 in Berea, Ohio. Her father was an agricultural economist. Her mother managed an accounting firm. Christina grew up mostly in Springfield, Virginia. She has an older sister named Angela. Christina remembers being taught to always try her best.
Her love for baking started when she was a child. Both of her grandmothers loved to bake. Her parents also enjoyed sweet treats. Christina ran track in high school. She still runs regularly today. She was interested in math and foreign languages. In college, she worked in restaurants. She started as a server and then became a prep cook and baker.
Christina first studied electrical engineering. She attended the University of Virginia for one year. Then, she graduated from James Madison University. She earned degrees in applied mathematics and Italian. After that, she went to the French Culinary Institute. There, she studied pastry arts. While in culinary school, she worked at a restaurant called Aquagrill.
Becoming a Chef
After culinary school, Christina moved to New York. She worked at famous restaurants like Bouley and wd~50. She realized she didn't enjoy the very strict plating rules of fine dining. She decided she didn't want to be an executive pastry chef in those kinds of restaurants.
In 2005, David Chang hired Christina to help his restaurant, Momofuku. She was first hired to create a special food safety plan. Her job was very flexible. She started baking at home again for fun. She brought her delicious baked goods to her co-workers. David Chang soon saw her talent. He moved her to a new role. She began developing and overseeing all the desserts for his restaurants.
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When Christina joined Momofuku, there were no desserts on the menu. She started creating her own pastries. Her ideas came from the flavors of her favorite childhood treats. She developed recipes like Cereal Milk-flavored panna cotta.
In 2008, a space opened next to Momofuku Ssam Bar. David Chang encouraged Christina to open her own shop. She named it Milk Bar. Christina even designed the first logo herself. She simply typed 'milk' using a font called Brush Script Medium.
Milk Bar first opened on November 15, 2008. When they started, Milk Bar had only five team members. They often worked 16 hours a day. Christina's goal was to use fancy pastry techniques. But she wanted to make comforting desserts. These treats would be served in a relaxed setting. She is still Milk Bar's main chef and CEO.
Her Special Creations
Christina Tosi has created many popular recipes. These include Cereal Milk, Compost Cookies, and Milk Bar Pie. Milk Bar Pie was once known by a different name. She also created Candy Bar Pie.
In 2017, Ben & Jerry's ice cream released new flavors. Some people thought they were very similar to Christina's Cereal Milk idea. The website Eater even called it a "blatant ripoff."
The New York Times said in 2021 that Christina Tosi's cereal milk flavor is her most famous creation. The Seattle Times mentioned in 2022 that Christina is often given credit. They say she started the trend of soft-serve ice cream in restaurants.
Axios called her cereal milk and Milk Bar Pie "cult favorites" in 2022. Food writer Francis Fabricant said Christina made Cereal Milk soft-serve and the Compost Cookie very well-known.
Books She Wrote
Christina Tosi has written several cookbooks. She also wrote a book about her life.
Her first cookbook was Momofuku Milk Bar (2011). It had recipes from her restaurant. A reviewer from The Washington Post said it was a serious baking book. It had many "sub-recipes." These are recipes for ingredients you need to make before the main recipe. Another reviewer agreed that some recipes took a lot of effort.
Her second book, Milk Bar Life (2015), was published by Random House. The Washington Post reviewer found it interesting. They liked how it mixed things like Fruity Pebbles with slow-cooked sauces. Jenny Rosenstrach of the New York Times Book Review found Christina charming in her second book. She described it as a fun, colorful world.
Christina's book Dessert Can Save the World (2022) was described as a mix of memoir and self-help.
On TV and Online
Christina Tosi became a judge on MasterChef in 2015. She joined the show for its sixth season. She also judged the fourth season of MasterChef Junior. In April 2018, she was featured in an episode of Chef's Table: Pastry. She has also hosted the Netflix series Bake Squad. She has been a judge on Chopped. In 2024, she appeared as herself in season 3 of The Bear.
When the COVID-19 pandemic started, Christina began "Bake Club." This was an online space where people could bake with her every day.
Christina has also appeared in advertisements. She has worked with companies like Subaru, American Express, and Kellogg's.
Awards and Honors
In 2014, Food and Wine Magazine named Christina Tosi to their list. She was one of the "Most Innovative Women in Food and Drink." The New York Times praised her Cereal Milk. They called it a brilliant idea. It was like making soft-serve ice cream from the milk left after eating cereal.
Christina received a James Beard Foundation award in 2012. She was named Rising Star Chef of the Year for her work at Milk Bar. She was the first pastry chef to win this award. In 2015, she received another James Beard award. This time, it was for Outstanding Pastry Chef. In 2016, Crain's New York Business included Christina on their list. She was one of the top 40 business people under 40 in New York City.
Her Life Outside Work
The New York Times describes Christina Tosi as an "introvert." She enjoys carrying math problems in her purse. She also carries embroidery thread to make friendship bracelets. She creates art from popsicle sticks. Christina also runs every day.
On July 30, 2016, Christina married Will Guidara. He is a restaurateur from New York City. He co-owned the restaurant Eleven Madison Park. In March 2021, Christina and Will had a daughter.
