Simon Mainwaring
Brand Futurist | Founder, We First & MAIN Advisory | NYT & WSJ Bestselling Author of Lead With We | Real Leaders Top 50 Keynote Speaker
Christina Tosi
Two-Time James Beard Award-Winning Chef | Founder & Owner, Milk Bar | Host, Netflix's Bake Squad | New York Times Bestselling Author | Cultural Icon in Food & Innovation
Christina Tosi turned childhood nostalgia into a dessert revolution. As the founder of Milk Bar and a two-time James Beard Award winner, she's known for creations that challenge convention—Cereal Milk, Compost Cookies, and cakes with unfrosted sides. Her work extends beyond baking: she's the host of Netflix's Bake Squad, a former MasterChef judge, and a bestselling author who shares how creativity, optimism, and bold risk-taking fuel lasting success.
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Christina Tosi biography
Christina Tosi is the two-time James Beard Award-winning chef and founder of Milk Bar, the dessert empire that turned nostalgic flavors into cultural phenomena. Known for her Compost Cookies, Cereal Milk soft serve, and layer cakes with unfrosted sides, Tosi has built a business that spans nationwide bakery locations, an online care package operation, and retail products in major grocery chains. She launched the first Milk Bar in New York’s East Village in November 2008, and the brand has since become synonymous with rule-breaking creativity and joyful innovation.
Entrepreneurship speaker Christina Tosi’s journey began far from the pastry kitchen. She studied electrical engineering before earning degrees in applied mathematics and Italian, then pivoted to the French Culinary Institute. Early roles at fine dining establishments like Bouley and wd~50 gave her technical mastery, but it was her work with David Chang at Momofuku that changed everything. Hired in 2005 to develop a food safety plan, Tosi’s role evolved into overseeing the restaurant group’s entire pastry program. Chang encouraged her to pursue her true passion, and Milk Bar was born—a place where childhood nostalgia met culinary sophistication.
Creativity as Business Strategy
Tosi’s innovations have reshaped American dessert culture. Her Cereal Milk flavor, inspired by the milk left at the bottom of a cereal bowl, became a signature that The New York Times called “the brilliant idea” and credited with starting the soft-serve craze in restaurants. She holds two James Beard Awards—Rising Star Chef in 2012 and Outstanding Pastry Chef in 2015—and has been recognized by Fast Company as one of the most creative people in business. Beyond Milk Bar, Tosi has expanded her influence through major brand partnerships with Kellogg’s, Verizon, Subaru, American Express, and Estée Lauder.
As a speaker, Christina Tosi brings authenticity and infectious energy to stages worldwide. She shares how curiosity, optimism, and a willingness to break conventions can fuel innovation in any industry—not just the kitchen. Her talks explore the mindset shifts required to build beloved brands, the importance of staying connected to what brings joy, and how leaders can create cultures where creativity thrives. Audiences leave inspired to approach their work with renewed purpose, ready to take risks and celebrate the little big things that make businesses—and lives—extraordinary.
Christina Tosi Speaking Videos
My Secret to Creating Real Magic | Christina Tosi | TED
Milk Bar's Christina Tosi on building a business that brings customers coming back again and again
Christina Tosi Keynote Topics
Tosi shares the story of how Milk Bar grew from a single East Village storefront into a nationwide brand with cult-like devotion. She explores what it takes to create products that resonate emotionally with customers, the importance of staying true to your vision while scaling, and how authenticity becomes a competitive advantage. Drawing from her experience turning childhood flavors into cultural touchstones, she offers practical lessons on differentiation, customer connection, and building brands that people want to be part of—not just buy from.
Creativity isn't reserved for artists and chefs—it's a learnable skill that drives success in any field. Tosi breaks down her approach to creative problem-solving, from embracing constraints to reimagining familiar ingredients in unexpected ways. She discusses how organizations can foster cultures where experimentation is encouraged, failure is normalized, and teams feel empowered to take risks. Using stories from building Milk Bar and navigating setbacks, she demonstrates how curiosity and optimism unlock breakthrough thinking.
Tosi's leadership philosophy centers on creating environments where people feel valued, inspired, and excited to show up every day. She shares how she built Milk Bar's team culture around celebration, collaboration, and a shared sense of purpose. Her keynote covers practical strategies for hiring for attitude over experience, giving teams ownership of their work, and maintaining positivity during challenges. Leaders learn how to balance high standards with genuine care, creating workplaces where creativity and performance go hand in hand.
Tosi traces her path from working in David Chang's restaurant to launching her own business, offering honest insights into what it really takes to build something from scratch. She discusses the importance of mentorship, knowing when to make bold moves, and learning to trust your instincts even when conventional wisdom says otherwise. This keynote is perfect for aspiring entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs who want to understand the mindset, discipline, and resilience required to turn vision into reality.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Christina Tosi
Why Christina Tosi?
Booking Christina Tosi for your event means bringing one of the most innovative culinary entrepreneurs of her generation to your stage. As the founder of Milk Bar and a two-time James Beard Award winner, Tosi has proven expertise in transforming creative vision into commercial success. Her keynotes go beyond desserts—she delivers actionable insights on building authentic brands, fostering innovation cultures, and leading with optimism and resilience. Whether your audience is navigating entrepreneurship, product development, or organizational change, Tosi's storytelling resonates deeply. Her infectious energy and real-world lessons make her an unforgettable speaker who leaves audiences inspired to think differently and act boldly. Contact Aurum Speakers Bureau to book Christina Tosi for your next event.
What is Christina Tosi best known for?
Christina Tosi is best known as the founder of Milk Bar, the innovative bakery chain that revolutionized American dessert culture with creations like Cereal Milk soft serve, Compost Cookies, and Milk Bar Pie (formerly Crack Pie). She's credited with sparking the soft-serve craze in restaurants and making nostalgic, unconventional flavors mainstream. Beyond Milk Bar, she's recognized as the host of Netflix's Bake Squad, a former judge on MasterChef and MasterChef Junior, and a subject of Netflix's Chef's Table: Pastry. She has won two James Beard Awards and authored multiple bestselling cookbooks. Her work combines culinary creativity with business acumen, making her a cultural icon in food and entrepreneurship.
How did Christina Tosi start Milk Bar?
Christina Tosi started Milk Bar in 2008 after working as the pastry program director at Momofuku under David Chang. Originally hired to create food safety plans, she began baking at home and bringing treats to work, which caught Chang's attention. He encouraged her to pursue dessert full-time and supported her vision to open a bakery. On November 15, 2008, Tosi opened the first Milk Bar in New York's East Village—a small space with a neon pink sign. The bakery quickly developed a devoted following for its rule-breaking approach: childhood-inspired flavors executed with culinary sophistication. What started as one location has grown into a nationwide brand with bakeries, grocery products, and an online business.
What topics does speaker Christina Tosi cover?
Speaker Christina Tosi covers creativity and innovation, entrepreneurship and brand building, leadership and team culture, resilience and adaptability, and product development. She shares her journey from math student to pastry chef to founder, offering lessons on following intuition, taking risks, and building businesses with authenticity. Her talks emphasize the power of staying curious, embracing failure as part of the creative process, and creating cultures where teams feel empowered to experiment. Tosi's presentations resonate with audiences in hospitality, retail, consumer goods, and any industry where innovation and brand differentiation matter. Contact Aurum Speakers Bureau to book Christina Tosi and bring her unique perspective to your event.
How to book Christina Tosi as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Christina Tosi as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Christina Tosi's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for Christina Tosi or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Christina Tosi speaking fee?
Christina Tosi speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire Christina Tosi to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book Christina Tosi.
How can I contact Christina Tosi?
We only work with Christina Tosi on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Christina Tosi and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Christina Tosi speak at your event. We will be your sole point of contact throughout the process. Get in touch with Aurum Speakers Bureau today, and we will reach out to any motivational speaker or celebrity you want to enquire about speaking at your event. If you wish to contact Christina Tosi for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book Christina Tosi for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Christina Tosi is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Christina Tosi for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
