Christina Tosi

I really didn't have a big relationship with Vegas until I was in my 20s, and now I probably come out four or five times a year. I love it.

For me, I love Portland. I love the food scene, I love the vibe, the environment.

The secret to having an epically beloved bakery is consistency.

When I opened Milk Bar in November 2008, I was quite adamant about making sure the bakery was an honest reflection of life and food through my eyes. I had no intention beyond that.

I approach life with a 'jump' sort of mentality, although I wasn't raised to take crazy risks. I was raised to be a crazy hard worker. It seems to be a pretty good match of qualities.

I need healthy options around, or else if I get hungry, I'll go straight for a cookie.

Both of my parents worked incredibly hard, and eating out was a treat.

There are so many messages out there about what you should be eating and drinking and what you should be putting in your body at the beginning of the day. It's confusing, and people get very overwhelmed. Really, one of the greatest options is just a bowl of cereal and milk.

Eating together was a big part of my upbringing and a tradition we keep daily amongst the amazing team at Milk Bar.

As a boss, as a CEO, as a creative director, as a chef, I've learned that failure will always come. I've learned to give it a big squeeze, smile at it, humble myself to it and then use it as a springboard to send me on my way to strength, success, and fulfillment.

I love the challenge of thinking about how we might approach a bowl of cereal. People are getting so involved in foodie culture and becoming more educated about their food, and yet it can be really simple to do something that's so good for you.

The matriarchs of my family loved to bake, and the apple didn't fall far from the tree. Baking became something I did every day; it became a time where my creative and nurturing side took stage.