How Christina Tosi Took Milk Bar From a Single Bakery to a Sugary Empire in 10 Years The chef and entrepreneur won't settle for anything less than perfection -- which is why she spent two years developing a single cake recipe.

No one has ever called Christina Tosi a culinary snob. After all, the chef and founder of Milk Bar has created a sweet-treat kingdom built on American nostalgia. Her aversion to elitism inspired her comforting but inventive cookies, cakes and soft-serve (Cereal Milk ice cream is a winning example), all of which are a national fascination. It's led to 14 stores, partnerships with Target and JetBlue and celebrity status for Tosi, who has served as a judge on MasterChef and penned two cookbooks. (Her third, All About Cake, is out in October.) Now, after a decade in business and a recent fundraise, she wants to expand to grocery stores, customers' doorsteps and more. We talked with Tosi about creating your own comfort in business, taking care of the people around you and why the perfect dessert can take years to get right.

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Your company is built on nostalgic flavors from many Americans' childhoods, but it also feels unique and modern. How did you find that niche?