With five New York Milk Bars to attend to, the recent unveiling of her first Canadian outpost in Toronto, and the announcement of a second cookbook, Milk Bar Life, Christina Tosi has enjoyed a sugar-coated summer. Captured in Chef Diaries, NOWNESS’ week-long Instagram series, the founder of the beloved line of imaginative bakeries—the sister branch of David Chang’s Momofuku restaurants—is joined by her (almost) all-female gang of infamous ‘hardbodies.’ “It’s someone who goes above and beyond,” explains Tosi of the tight-knit food community behind such creations as Grasshopper Pie: part brownie and mint desert, covered in chocolate chips, marshmallows and liquid mint cheesecake. “A Milk Bar hardbody possesses the ability to adapt, revise and throw down for the greater team at any moment, by riding collective adrenaline in overdrive,” adds Executive Sous Chef Jena Derman, recipient of the first ever Milk Bar Hardbody Award. “While smiling the whole time!”

Three Endless Summer Creations From the Milk Bar Staff

Christina Tosi, Head Chef: Lemon Cream Pie Soft Serve, Chocolate Chip Passion Fruit Cake Truffles and the Black Sesame Tristar Cotija Bread.

Jena Derman, Executive Sous Chef: My all-time favorite soft-serve flavors, in no particular order are Purple Lemonade, Kaffir Lime Caramel, Blueberry Miso.

Zoe Kanan, Special Events Manager: The Pea-Nut Soft Serve we had at our East Village location in early summer. It was based on a Pea Soft Serve recipe we did for Momofuku Noodle Bar a few years ago, layered with the addition of almond butter. A new classic. Strawberry Milk, classing it up with local strawberries (Tristar from Mountain Sweet Berry Farm) and Creamline organic milk. And the Thanksgiving Croissant.