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If you’ve ever seen MasterChef judge and Milk Bar founder Christina Tosi’s colorful layer cakes, scrolled her Instagram or skimmed her cookbooks, you know that there’s an element of fun in everything she does. It’s an indelible part of her character, and of the #MilkBarLife she ‘grams about.
When I interviewed her for Delish, I loved learning about her collection of headscarves, her pickup trucks and how she spends her downtime goofing off with Gordon Ramsay (yup, that Gordon Ramsay), but one moment in the interview really stood out: When Tosi talked about planning in a little ‘fun’ in your life.
It seems totally counterintuitive. You can’t schedule times to be happy! But, as Tosi points out, you kind of can.
“My mom was really great at making life happen,” she explains. “Even when it wasn’t a holiday, she found ways to celebrate the everyday. It takes a little bit of planning and effort, but that’s how you bond and form friendships.”
It’s a concept she applies to Milk Bar, organizing group trips to do everything from riding rollercoasters in Coney Island to hosting picnics in Bryant Park during its outdoor movie nights.
“Many people don’t take the time to plan fun,” Tosi says. “They need a driving force and a leader to remind them that life can be fun, and funny, and creative, and playful. I realized that if I don’t do that [at Milk Bar], no one else will.”
Tosi describes that playful spirit as part of her voice as a chef and human being, which presented an interesting question: What’s your voice to the world? Does that voice differ between work and home? How can you get them in harmony?
The Crack Pie creator’s approach to work isn’t all fun and games, though. She chose her career based on the one thing she’s endlessly passionate about (“baking cookies”), which she says allows her to constantly pursue her calling without tiring of it as easily. That, combined with budgeted-in breaks for fun, are her recipe for a meaningful life.
You can learn more about Tosi — and her bakery — in her latest book, Milk Bar Life.
This post is part of Life Between Weekends’ Tuesday Takeaway series. Every Tuesday, we’ll share the most compelling insight we’ve gleaned from a book, movie, tour, documentary or article to inspire you during the workday.
