bake - January 2014 - 21

"Vanilla Bake Shop has quickly made a name for
themselves, not just in Los Angeles, but nationwide,
as one of the preeminent bakeries out there today."
Joe Waller, vice president of business development for HMSHost

It is this type of local following that convinced

The majority of Vanilla's core menu is the same,

HMSHost, which manages culinary venues at more

featuring Cupcake Babies, cupcakes, French maca-

than 100 airports worldwide, including Los Angeles,

rons, cookies and bars (lemon, brownies and caramel

to select Vanilla Bake Shop to be the sweet spot of

bars with walnuts). Specialty sweets include prepack-

the new Tom Bradley International Terminal, which

aged Salted Pecan Chip Shortbread cookies and

opened in September 2013 after a $1.9 billion make-

Chocolate Sablés, which Amy makes with ﬂour, cocoa

over. "Vanilla Bake Shop has quickly made a name for

powder, sea salt, butter, sugar and vanilla beans.

themselves, not just in Los Angeles, but nationwide,
as one of the preeminent bakeries out there today,"

At the Santa Monica and Westﬁeld Century City loca-

says HMSHost's Joe Waller, vice president of busi-

tions, Vanilla offers an expanded menu of cakes, tarts,

ness development. "Amy and Jeremy have worked

pies, cheesecakes, and icebox desserts (chilled layer

incredibly hard to grow their brand from scratch,

desserts like Southern Banana Pudding served in old-

and HMSHost is proud to be able to help perpetuate

fashioned mason jars or as individual shots). Another

Vanilla Bake Shop's growth."

popular novelty item is their Cake Lollipops, which
come in three ﬂavors: dark chocolate truffle, Southern

Vanilla's third location, which is operated by HMSHost,

red velvet, and vanilla bean.

is one of more than 60 options in Westﬁeld's new
dining and retail collection at the new TBIT, featuring

A love for baking

celebrated local and leading global brands, and

The inspiration for Vanilla Bake Shop began when

cutting-edge design. LAX handles more than 1,500

Amy, the head pastry chef and co-owner, was
nd

ﬂights every 24 hours.

a young girl admiring her mother's ability
other's
to make homemade cakes and sweets.
nd

Vanilla's product mix differs at the airport location,

Years later, that admiration turned

compared with their other two bakeries in Santa

into a culinary degree, and the
he

Monica and the Century City Westﬁeld Shopping

desire to open a charming

Center. "Grab and go" items go exceptionally well

neighborhood bakery that

at the airport, "so we developed packaging that can

focused on high quality

be taken on a ﬂight easily and can be brought home

ingredients and a timeless

as gifts or enjoyed on the plane, including pre-pack-

taste.

aged cookies, cupcakes, French macarons, bars and
biscotti," Amy says. "We are currently working on

Shortly after Amy gradu-

developing some breakfast bread components for the

ated culinary school and

early morning hours. We also offer sandwiches, salads

Jeremy ﬁnished law school,

and yogurt parfaits produced by the HMSHost chefs

they partnered together to

to make it a one-stop shop for travelers."

open Vanilla Bake Shop. "We
e
envisioned a charming neighborhbor-

Given that Vanilla's airport location serves interna-

hood bakery with fresh, from scratch
m

tional travelers, foodservice offerings include sand-

cakes, cupcakes and assorted sweets
ed

wiches in a variety of options such as Chicken Bahn

that focused on high quality ingredients and
y

Mi, Fresca Jamon and Hummus Tray.

timeless taste," Amy says. "Everyone asks us h
how
E
k

bakemag.com | JAN 2014 > 21
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bake - January 2014

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