Today we’d like to introduce you to Jiyoon Jang.
Hi Jiyoon, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I don’t have a “traditional” food background or training but instead took up baking as a pandemic hobby in 2020. I would be in the kitchen day & night for months teaching myself different recipes and techniques that intrigued me. I found myself quickly falling in love with the creative and meticulous nature of the craft: while also diving into creating food content through sharing my bakes and photography on IG. These months during the pandemic were very eye-opening and the work was fulfilling in ways I didn’t expect. So, that’s when I decided to search for bakery jobs and found my first pastry job at Clark Street in LA. I worked at this bakery for 7 months doing high production and on top of learning foundational techniques, I really learned the skills of workflow, efficiency, and organization. Simultaneously on my off days, I experimented with baking at home using flavors, textures, and techniques that inspired me in nostalgic ways. During this time, I continued to share my work and what I’ve learned through my photography and content on my IG. Over this time, a small demand grew for my work on the side. It started with fulfilling a couple orders here and there through DMs to eventually launching pastry box drops and popping up at local markets. I was grateful that these pastry drops were being received positively and consistently selling out: which allowed me to pursue this work full-time for about 5 months or so. This was when I was approached by the founders of In Hospitality Group with their search for a creative and production lead to create a bakery brand and operation that became MIL.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I will say, I feel very lucky to have a relatively linear trajectory since the beginning of my journey. Although this wasn’t the intention, my food photography ended up naturally becoming my personal marketing and branding for my work. I also felt lucky to have had opportunities come my way that I’ve been able to take on to the best of my abilities. But of course, there were and still are struggles: mentally, emotionally, and business-related. I think that’s normal and expected. Due to my nontraditional background, there were a lot of mental struggles in the beginning related to imposter syndrome, perfectionism, and self-doubt that was quite draining for me. I’ve learned to deal with those insecurities and came to the realization that my nontraditional background was actually my strength that gave me a different perspective and approach to the way I created my work. But even now, in my position as the Executive Pastry Chef of MIL, everything is new for me. I’m quite literally learning on the job and am lucky to have a company with people to rely on, get support from, and even bounce ideas off of. I’m now in the headspace of just doing everything I can within my role to create an effective production with an exciting and innovative menu that both myself, my team, and customers are excited by.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At MIL Bakery, I create pastries inspired by personal nostalgia and food memories I’ve had growing up Korean American within mixed cultures. My pastries at MIL aren’t strictly Korean or strictly American, but always somewhere in the gray area with the nuances of other cultural influences from my upbringing and experiences. I don’t allow certain expectations or boundaries to restrict or define my work. It’s all about exploring the boundaries of mixed flavors, techniques, and presentations in order to create elevated pastries that are innovative. This is the kind of work that is exciting and fulfilling for me, and what I believe sets us apart in LA’s food scene…
What do you think about happiness?
Well, made, delicious, thoughtful food. Food is such a powerful bonding experience that stems from this labor of love that is often overlooked.
I love appreciating that aspect of food and sharing it with people I love being with.
Contact Info:
- Website: milbakery.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enjoy_mil/
