Create & Cultivate 100: Food: Nancy Silverton
"The only goal is to please yourself and hopefully, you are very hard to please.”
As the co-owner of the Mozza Restaurant Group, Nancy Silverton's food has taken L.A. by storm. Not only does she create delicious meals but she is also the most stylish chef we know—take a look at the photos from our CC100 shoot to see why. The award-winning chef and baker inject that same individual style into her work, too.
From the menu to the atmosphere, Silverton doesn’t miss a beat. It’s why her Mozza pizzeria is still booked out 10 years later and she was awarded a Michelin star for her Osteria Mozza restaurant.
Silverton actually rose to fame through her La Brea Bakery (which she sold in 2001) and it was her scientific approach to bread-making that formed the foundation for her pizza making, which is now legendary. Read on to hear why we're big fans of her inside and outside the kitchen.
CREATE & CULTIVATE: You are the co-owner of the Mozza Restaurant Group that has taken L.A. by storm. How hands-on are you in each of your restaurants? How do you ensure quality when you can't be there? Why do you attribute to the restaurant's success?
NANCY SILVERTON: I’m extremely hands-on. There are several key people who are there when I'm not. Delicious food with good service in an attractive setting—Wow, that's breaking news!
You have had a very successful career—what is your secret sauce? What tips do you have for people who want to achieve your success in the food industry? What do you wish you could go back and tell yourself when you were first launching your business? Why?
Love it—love it so much you can't do anything else. I don't wish like that.
“This is gonna sound corny, but you have to trust yourself. Trust your taste. Keep pushing.”
Your latest venture is an L.A. restaurant called Pizzette to add to the long list of restaurants you have (and your gelato line). How do you decide when it is time to expand and open a new restaurant? How long do you plan for a new venture before it's opening?
It might be as simple as going somewhere, somewhere far away, and having something that I so enjoy that I want to have it again in Los Angeles. And that dish wouldn't fit in with what I currently have. It is extremely rare for that to happen.
What advice do you have for other upcoming female chefs? What are the main traits/characteristics you need to be a successful chef today?
I don't have advice only for ‘female chefs.’ One must have to be a chef. If you don't have to be, don't.
When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you #FindNewRoads + switch gears to find success?
”This is gonna sound corny, but you have to trust yourself. Trust your taste. Keep pushing.”
Recall a mistake you made and what did you learn from it? How did you turn it into an opportunity?
”Made a wrong turn in Tuscany and ended up at Dario Cecchini's butcher shop in Panzano in Chianti.”
With success comes opportunity but that also means you have your hands full—What keeps you inspired and motivated to keep going even on your most challenging days?
”Knowing there is so much more to learn, so much more to taste and love, although that gets rarer and rarer. I go to Italy every summer for about 40 days and If I get one or two inspiring food ideas, I am happy.”
Success is such a broad term and it means something different to everyone—How do you define success?“Chasing down contentment and getting closer and closer and closer and…”
Your restaurants are located in Los Angeles, one of the most competitive markets in the country -- How are able to stay unique in such a saturated space? What advice do you have for other restaurateurs looking to open their own? How hard is it, really?
”Hard work. If it wasn't hard, it wouldn't be easy to do and there would be outstanding restaurants on every corner. Your last question in this segment, ‘How hard is it, really?’—Really.”
What advice do you have for women who haven’t found their path/passion yet? What steps can they take to get there?
”I don't dish out much advice but I have a good pair of ears and they listen well. It might be the person doing the talking to me that might want to follow that path of what they are mostly talking about.”
“If it wasn’t hard, it wouldn’t be easy to do and there would be outstanding restaurants on every corner.””
Osteria Mozza was recently awarded a Michelin Star. How much do awards like this mean to you? How has it changed the business, if at all? How do you set goals? Is recognition like this ever a goal you try to reach? Why/Why not?
Cool is an overused word, but it was cool to get the star. We were in Brooklyn and my assistant Kate Green was at the awards presentations and she was giving us reports back via text and we had a blast. It hasn't changed the business. I’ve never set a goal like “I gotta get a star or a James Beard Award.” They come, fine. The only goal is to please yourself and hopefully, you are very hard to please.
You've been very smart and savvy with your business and it's been incredibly profitable—Where do you think is the most important area for a business owner to focus their financial energy? Why? What money mistakes have you made and learned from along the way?
A financial person who you've known for decades. Money mistakes? Ever heard of Bernard Madoff?
What is the #1 book you always recommend? Why?
A good novel to escape into. For the last few years that has been Goldfinch by Donna Tart, The Overstory by Richard Powers, The Neapolitan Novels by Elena Ferrante and Southside by my boyfriend Michael Krikorian.
Photographer: Jenna Peffley
Hair: Styled by OGXpert & Celebrity Hairstylist Jillian Halouska
VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 FOOD LIST HERE.
Why These Two Women Risked It All to Break into the Food Industry
“We hope that by showcasing the importance of early childhood nutrition that we’ll not only elevate the dialogue on baby food today but will also push the entire industry to improve.”
The saying goes, “If you want something done right, do it yourself.” Angela Sutherland and Evelyn Rusli are the epitome of the proverb. As the co-founders of Yumi, the homemade delivery baby food company, they’re challenging the standards of the “Big Baby Food” industry.
It was so important to Angela and Evelyn to fix the static baby food industry that they each left successful careers in other fields to start Yumi. Read on for their story.
Let’s start at the beginning. What whitespace did you see in the baby food market?
Angela: When I was pregnant with my first child, I did what a lot of new parents do — I went down the long, long rabbit hole of Google research. In that process, I came across studies on “The First 1000 Days,” a period of time identified by researchers and doctors as the most important in a person’s life for nutrition. I grew up in Michigan and was largely raised on the idea that adults are the ones who have to worry about their diet — that adults shouldn’t have the cupcakes because of their diet, but kids can eat anything they want because they have their whole life to worry about nutrition. It turns out the exact opposite is true.
Later, when my daughter was ready to begin solid foods, I was completely shocked to realize just how deficient all of the store bought options were. The big baby food industry is dominated by products that are older than the babies eating them, high in fruit-based sugars, and low in nutrition! I was in disbelief that over the last 100 years, baby food has changed very little and was not giving kids what they need. I felt compelled to do something about it.
Describe the journey from when you first had the idea for Yumi to actually making it a reality.
Angela: As I was uncovering all this research, I was sharing it with my friends, including Evelyn who I’ve known for years. She was working for the Wall Street Journal at the time. As a journalist, she naturally started digging-in and read all the clinical studies I had collected. We went on a trip with my family to Arizona, and while our husbands were ATV-ing, we kept circling on this idea of building a new baby food company to solve all these gaps. Within a few weeks, we both gave our two weeks notice and decided “OK, we’re doing this.” At the time, I was the breadwinner in the family, so I spoke with my husband about it and explained that I would need to take a roughly 100% pay cut but it was for a really, really good cause. He was my biggest cheerleader from day one.
How did you each find the confidence to give up your previous ventures and pursue a new career?
Evelyn: It’s not easy to walk away from a career you’ve been building and nurturing for more than a decade. There are internal and external pressures to stay on that path. When I was 18 and decided to be a journalist, I had a PLAN, and that plan was going perfectly. But accomplishing a plan you hatched at 18 doesn’t necessarily equal fulfillment. I felt myself increasingly drawn to entrepreneurship; I was enamored by its almost obsessive nature. Everyday, you apply your blood, sweat, and literal tears in the hope that you can change the world in a very particular way. I loved the mission of Yumi from day one.
Angela: Our backgrounds are sort of the perfect complement. I was the math major, she was the English major — she is the words to my numbers. Meanwhile, in my former life as a director of a private equity firm, I was very familiar with the nuts and bolts of operations and what it takes to build thriving, sustainable businesses. I enjoy nerding out on unit economics. Evelyn, meanwhile, is a natural storyteller. She pulls threads together and helps distill complex concepts into more digestible forms. We both saw Yumi as more than a product off the shelf. To succeed, Yumi would have to be a highly scalable business, but it would also have to be a movement, a movement that inspires other families to demand changes in Big Baby Food.
What’s a typical day in your lives like?
Evelyn: One of the amazing things about being an entrepreneur is just how fundamentally — often unpredictably — different each day is from the next. On one day, we could be in the test kitchens working with chefs and nutritionists to develop new recipes. On another day, we could be on the road meeting with potential partners, which includes everything from marketing to packaging to prospective investors. We try to create some boundaries within the chaos, and we both intentionally set aside time to think about big picture strategy and what’s coming around the corner.
One of the hardest things about building a startup is the constant context switching. It can be mentally and physically taxing. But let’s be real — it’s also a lot of fun.
What is it like working together when you both have very different backgrounds/experiences?
Evelyn: We simply can’t stand each other, it’s really becoming a challenge. Obviously, I kid, she was literally the officiant at my wedding. I’m the godmother to her son. Her family is my family and vice versa. That said, we’re very different in terms of skills and how we approach problems, which certainly leads to arguments about decisions. However, that’s exactly why we wanted to be partners. You need someone who is going to challenge your ideas and push you to see a problem from a different angle. That friction is healthy for a startup.
Angela: For all our differences, I do think our partnership works because we are similar in the areas that matter. Our fundamental values are the same, which is why we’re so passionate about Yumi’s mission. We’re also crazy hard workers, perhaps to a fault. I’ve never doubted for a second that Evelyn isn’t doing everything she can to make this a success. We completely trust each other’s judgment.
Baby food is a contentious industry. How did you choose ingredients and suppliers? What about pricing?
Angela: For us, quality is everything. It is our #1 priority to give babies the highest quality ingredients, sourced from the best organic farms in the country. When you look at consumer trends and the preferences of the modern day parent, it’s clear that this generation has a very different attitude towards food than previous generations. Today’s parents have a much deeper understanding of food, and how it affects their health and wellness. They care about organic, they expect freshness, and they also look for brand transparency.
The legacy brands are out of touch. Last year, Consumer Reports revealed that grocery store baby food brands tested positive for an array of heavy metals. That same week, we put up a map online to show our customers how we pick our farms based on the government’s soil readings. We avoid areas that test high for heavy metals, and we avoid certain ingredients like brown rice, which often tests high for arsenic.
Our pricing reflects the multitude of differentiators that we offer to consumers: high quality ingredients, customized content, shipping straight to your doorstep, and sustainable packaging. As we scale, we will be able to pass along savings to our families, but our consistent growth month-over-month indicates that we’re already filling a huge demand in the market.
Looking back, what’s one thing you would have done differently when you first started out?
Evelyn: We’ve both grown so much from this process, but I think one thing we would have done differently in the beginning would be our approach to hiring. We would have hired more people out of the gate. We would have put more effort into recruiting. At the end of the day, success or failure is determined by the people you have on that bus.
Where do you see the baby food industry going in the future? How do you see it evolving?
Angela: Hopefully, out of the dark ages. If the baby food industry is still dominated by two-year-old room temperature chicken stew in a jar, I’ll be shocked.
We’re trying to shed an intense light on the Big Baby Food industry. There’s simply no excuse for the low level of innovation, freshness or quality. Most baby foods, including some newcomers, are still laden with fruit-based sugars and are incredibly low in nutrition. We hope that by showcasing the importance of early childhood nutrition that we’ll not only elevate the dialogue on baby food today but will also push the entire industry to improve. Babies deserve it.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Evelyn: Someone once told me that “all businesses are inherently people-based.” In the same way that we apply the saying “It takes a village” when it comes to motherhood, I have seen that the same goes for businesses — they are nourished by people and our extended networks. Since starting Yumi, I’ve lost track of the number of times a friend has helped me work through a problem, provided valuable insights, or served as a resource in some way. So many people have helped in the making of Yumi. These interactions are a constant reminder to stay humble and to not be afraid to ask for help.
What’s next for Yumi?
Angela: We’re so excited to launch a new line of snacks and finger foods this spring. It has always been our mission to grow with our customer and to provide offerings for kids as they transition from babies to toddlers. In America, the number one veggie for a toddler is the french fry. That’s absurd. Families deserve healthier options across the 1,000 days. Whether it’s purees, snacks, finger foods, or beyond, we have a lot of work to do.
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Create & Cultivate 100: Food: Courtney Cowan
Courtney Cowan’s journey to the founder of Milk Jar is anything but typical.
You’d be hard-pressed to find a C&C team member who doesn’t have a deep love for Milk Jar cookies. In the dessert world, you haven’t lived until you bite into one.
But Courtney Cowan’s journey to the founder of Milk Jar is anything but typical. The cookie aficionado started as just that: an aficionado who perfected her chocolate chip recipe as a teen. She spent her early career working, as many Angelenos do, in entertainment. Baking was just a hobby.
As a TV producer, Cowan became accustomed to long hours, multitasking, and strategic decision making on the job. All of these skills translated to making Milk Jar Cookies a reality and transforming her sweet pastime into a full-fledged business in 2013. Now, the entrepreneur and serial baker wakes up at 3:00am every day and is prepping the bakery by 3:30am. Her business caters to an international fanbase, shipping cookies to eager tastebuds across the world. But if you find yourself with some downtime in Los Angeles, treat yourself to a hand-rolled homemade cookie baked daily at the Milk Jar Cookies HQ. As Courtney says, “Drop by, grab a warm cookie and a jar of cold milk; it’s our happy place, we hope it becomes yours, too.”
What was it like making the shift from the entertainment industry to the food industry? Did you have any challenges along the way?
In some ways, it was a natural transition in that my job as a producer was one of managing timelines, budgets, people, and ultimately quality control of the final product. Also, with as many as 10 episodes in various stages at once, I honed my skill of juggling multiple projects simultaneously and how to strategize, prioritize and delegate.
On the flip side, I literally knew nothing about opening a restaurant in Los Angeles, so everything was a challenge. Navigating the laws & licenses and using the commercial equipment were the things that intimidated me most, so I did a ton of research and asked a lot of questions. I scheduled informational meetings with a few restaurant owners, which helped lift the veil, and from there I was able to put my head down and make it happen.
How many batches of cookies did you make before you landed on the perfect recipe? How did you manage to be patient during the whole process and not give up?
Oh man, so many! It was a process over the course of many years. In my teens, I came up with a new twist on a classic Chocolate Chip cookie recipe. Then, as I learned more about the science of baking and how even the smallest of tweaks could make a big difference, I became fascinated and would experiment more. I finally landed on the final recipe after hundreds of batches. And, it was easy to be patient - at the time, baking was simply my hobby, and I loved every second of it. Not to mention, I got to eat the fruits of my labor, and even an imperfect cookie is a good cookie!
If you could have a meal with someone, living or deceased, who would it be and why? What would you eat?
Ruth Bader Ginsburg. I would love the opportunity to thank her for championing women, compliment her on her backbone of steel, and ask her how she stays resolute. And, I guess we’d eat whatever it is that superheroes eat.
What do you crave in life?
I crave adventure, more downtime to be with the ones I love, and peace of mind. I get great satisfaction out of working so hard, but I could use a little more play in my life.
What about your job makes you feel the most fulfilled?
I absolutely treasure the role Milk Jar plays in our community and the lives of our customers. From the newlyweds whose first date was at my shop, to the flight attendant who flies from Texas to LA just to get our cookies, and the woman who moved to Italy and pays to ship our cookies overseas; the personal stories of how Milk Jar impacts their lives never get old. To be part of a person’s history is incredibly special and brings me an immense amount of joy and pride, as I never would have imagined this recipe I created in my little apartment kitchen could touch so many people in such a deep way.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
My dad always told me that the best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time, and that has served me very well in my life, and specifically in business ownership.
What’s been the biggest surprise or highlight of your career to date?
The biggest highlight so far has been Milk Jar being featured in the December 2017 issue of Oprah Magazine and on The Today Show within a couple weeks of each other. That was pretty amazing!
Even an imperfect cookie is a good cookie!
Where does your passion/drive come from?
I truly believe in the product and brand I’ve created and their ability to spread joy & love, which is what I set out to do. It has not been an easy 6 years, but even in the toughest times, I keep believing and know that if I keep showing up every day and doing the work, great things will come.
What keeps you up at night?
The never-ending list of things that need to be done, both immediate and big picture, is always nagging at my brain. The day-to-day responsibilities and problem-solving oftentimes get in the way of inspired thinking about growth. I think this is something that is universal to entrepreneurs—there are 24 hours in a day, and you’re going to use every one.
Whose career really inspires you?
I really admire what Jeni Britton Bauer has done with Jeni’s Ice Creams. She took her time in growing it to what it is now and worked hard to maintain the soul and sense of community she established at the beginning. Plus, that’s some delicious ice cream!
What has been your biggest opportunity or biggest challenge as a woman in the food industry?
My biggest challenge thus far has been securing additional funding, despite being in business over 5 years with millions in revenue and consistent 25% growth year over year. I don’t know if it has anything to do with me being a woman, but perhaps it hasn’t helped.
If a new path isn’t clear, I take out my machete and bushwhack my way.
When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find a new road + switch gears to find success?
I’ve learned that I can’t be too precious with certain aspects of my business. If something isn’t working, I’ve got to let it go, pivot, and keep moving. I let my values and purpose guide me but look for a new path forward. If a new path isn’t clear, I take out my machete and bushwhack my way.
What are you toasting to in 2019? What are you most excited for?
I am toasting to growth and expansion in 2019. I’m most excited about opening a second Milk Jar storefront and working on my cookbook!
Photography by Annie McElwain Photography
Photoshoot skincare provided by Dermalogica
VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE FOOD LIST HERE.
Food: Kai Kani
Chopping it up at 16.
This article is part of our Create & Cultivate 100 List created in collaboration with KEDS, you can view the full Food List Here.
Chopping it up at 16.
What were you doing at 16? Dreaming, maybe. Likely not about creating “a museum based on arts, food, and fashion,” in your spare time. But you also probably didn’t start a baking business at 10 that gave you the opportunity to make pastries for The Oprah Winfrey Network.
However, there’s nothing traditional about the ingredients that makeup 16 year-old chef and creative entrepreneur Kai Kani. “I began helping in the kitchen when I was three years-old,” she says. By the time she was six, her mom, recognizing an early talent in her daughter, let her cook and use a knife on her own. “At 14,” she shares, “I began my pop up restaurant, KAI, which features a 12 to 16 course Progressive American Tasting Menu.” Coming from a “multi-cultural background” Kai says that she grew up cooking and eating foods from different cultures, an upbringing has influenced the way she cooks. She also has used her talent to support organizations like St. Vincent Meals on Wheels and The Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles.
And while she has plenty of normal teenage extracurriculars— tennis, drawing, hanging out with her friends and exploring Los Angeles, she’s got a pretty rad list of things she also wants to accomplish and equally impressive insight for how she wants to get there.
Read more with Kai and her inspiring work ethic below.
What is a habit or routine you swear by?
I swear by PREPARATION. It’s the most important thing to me, it helps me stay organized and not have to worry about little things when the main event comes.
What are some of the challenges you’ve encountered?
People not understanding how much work that I put in to what I do.
Who are the people you consider you mentors or influences and why?
My mother and father. My dad is an business owner who began his business at 18.
What is the best piece of “real talk” advice you’ve received?
Believing in the Law of Attraction through Manifestation.
What’s your favorite life advice?
If you don't take the time to design and plan your life, you will have to settle for what life gives you.
"Take the time to plan your life or settle for what life gives you.”
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What’s next? Do you have any five year goals?
Now, I’m focusing on some product development of my own, working on getting my cookbook published, as well as starting a high end streetwear clothing line. My five year goals, are to have a few successful restaurants, my clothing line, and to have a magazine focusing on art, culture, food, and fashion.
What does female empowerment mean to you?
Women have the authority to make our own decisions, make changes, and have a positive self image.
What keeps you going?
Determination and focus.
Food: Ellen Bennett
Aprons are just the appetizer.
This article is part of our Create & Cultivate 100 List created in collaboration with KEDS, you can view the full Food List Here.
Apron squad goals.
Meet Ellen Bennett, the line cook turned CEO and Founder of Hedley & Bennett, fulfilling #ApronSquadGoals in kitchens across the globe. What started out in her living room as a one woman operation, has, over the course of three years, exploded into a 14,000 sq. ft factory and showroom outfitting more than 4,000 restaurants worldwide. And she’s just heating up.
As a precocious child of divorce, Bennett nurtured a love of cooking from a young age. While mom worked full-time to provide for her two daughters, Bennett would care for her little sister, clean, and develop new recipes. As soon as she was old enough, Bennett moved to Mexico City to attend culinary school, where she paid her way by taking odd jobs, including a stint as Mexican lottery announcer. Upon returning to the states, the apronista worked as a line cook at Baco Mercat and 2 Michelin star-rated Providence. It was there that she noticed the shoddy uniforms she and her peers wore daily and decided to come up with a more functional, stylish alternative — even if she wasn’t sure quite how she’d do it. “My chef at the time asked if I would buy an apron if he had some made, I just jumped in and told him I would make the aprons he wanted! I had no company and no clue how to even sew. But I was determined and was going to make it happen. I cooked breakfast for people to get them to make me a pattern, and found someone who would teach me how to sew.”
In the early days, Bennett was scrappy. She peddled her aprons at the local farmer’s market every weekend and barged her way into some of the best-known culinary establishments uninvited. “I didn't let anything get in my way. If I fell, I picked myself up again and kept going. I learned something new every day and worked through every challenge. It wasn't easy but if you persist, anything is possible.” After two years of side-hustling while cooking up a storm in kitchens, she finally quit both jobs to grow Hedley & Bennett, which she started without any outside funding, per the advice of Martha Stewart.
"I started as a line cook and now I'm a CEO."
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“I started as a line cook and now I'm a CEO, so that's a huge change...I have so many people around me that I work with that are part of my team and that I am responsible for, I have to keep evolving as that evolves,” says Bennett, who names Julia Child, Willa Wonka, and her Jewish uncle Ted among her greatest influences. Once a month, Bennett meets up with fellow female founders (including the ladies of Bando and Sugar Paper) to dish on wins, losses, and how to be better bosses. “The way that I communicate our message is from a place of inclusion....it’s a "you can and you will" type of attitude and that's a really important message for all women, but also just for anyone to have in life. Because I started my business out of my living room and built it to what it is today, I want other females to know that it can be done.”
So, what’s on the menu for Ellen Bennett? Hint: aprons are just the appetizer. In addition to writing a book, growing her company to 200+ employees, and creating a worldwide community of Apron Squad members, she wants to use her platform to inspire others to chase their dreams as she did. “Seeing someone like Evan Kleinman put on our women's chef coats and saying it ‘it’s perfect,’ or a little kid who says they are gonna be a chef when they grow up — it gives me the same rush I get when I'm cooking in the kitchen.”