Nestled on a cobblestone nook in Manhattan’s West Village sits a world-famous bakery that has tantalized the style buds of locals and vacationers alike since its inception in 1996. Now, with 10 places throughout the U.S. and nearly 30 shops internationally, Magnolia Bakery continues to be a mainstay for satisfying candy cravings.
Guiding the evolution of Magnolia’s ever-expanding menu is the visionary 66-year-old chief govt officer, Bobbie Lloyd, also referred to as the self-proclaimed “Chief Baking Officer” (CBO).
“I made up the title,” Lloyd informed Fortune.
Lloyd has held numerous management roles throughout her spectacular 18-year tenure with the corporate. Because the architect behind a lot of Magnolia’s confections, Lloyd has launched signature delights such because the strawberry buttercream chocolate-covered brownie chunk and the salted caramel banana pudding, and even coined the “Carrie Cupcake,” a homage to the long-lasting character from HBO’s Intercourse and the Metropolis.
Her take a look at kitchen, conveniently situated throughout from her workplace, is an area the place Lloyd experiments with completely different variations of pudding flavors, cupcake textures, and buttercreams. Being immersed in a world of sweets has given Lloyd a balanced perspective on consuming desserts.
“I look at sweets as an indulgence,” she mentioned. “I don’t eat them every single day, but close to it.”
Lloyd acknowledges that her cookies, muffins, and puddings won’t be the epitome of “healthy,” however she insists Magnolia is dedicated to excluding synthetic components from its merchandise, and guarantees that every chunk is “baked from scratch.”
The manager’s pursuit of steadiness extends past candy treats: “I always take care of my health,” she informed Fortune. “Whether it’s walking, running, yoga, mental health, meditating, stretching, I’ve done it my entire life.”
From one centesimal Avenue to 54th
Lloyd’s secret to enjoyable earlier than heading into the workplace? “I walk to work almost every day,” Lloyd mentioned.
The CEO informed Fortune she walks roughly three miles from her Higher West Aspect house to her Midtown workplace each workday. This one-hour trek serves as a private ritual, established throughout the pandemic. Regardless of the difficult occasions, Lloyd remained dedicated to her routine.
“I actually did go to my office every day,” she mentioned. “I was the only one there.”
For Lloyd, this morning stroll was important for clearing her thoughts and discovering rest. It was additionally a chance for her to witness the town’s dynamic response to the pandemic. Every day she launched into a unique path, observing the ebb and stream of companies—some closing their doorways, whereas others resiliently reopened. To this present day, Lloyd continues to stroll completely different streets, typically discovering herself slicing by way of Central Park, Columbus Circle, and Broadway.
The three-mile stroll is a pure match for Lloyd, who’s a lifelong runner. “I always talk about running as being my form of meditation. Lloyd said. “Other people may not say that about running, but for me, it’s about resetting the brain.”
Relying on the season, Lloyd tries to run “two or three times a week.” Within the winter, she prefers to train by strolling Manhattan’s flat roads, because it provides a lower-intensity exercise choice. These morning strolls set the tone for Lloyd’s 12-hour workdays, and he or she gave Fortune an unique peek into her day by day routine.
Stroll, work, prepare dinner
6:00 a.m.: On weekdays, the chief wakes up, and does a 15- to 30-minute yoga routine in her New York Metropolis house. Lloyd at all times makes certain to start out her day with a glass of water earlier than consuming any caffeine.
“I’ve been told my entire life that it helps to clear your brain and set your body for the day,” she mentioned.
8:00 a.m.: Lloyd rolls into the workplace between 8:00 and eight:30 a.m., relying on her strolling route for the day. She prefers to reach earlier than her group to overview emails and set up a strong basis for the upcoming day. As soon as on the workplace, Lloyd will begin “with a big cup of coffee.”
9:00 a.m.: Lloyd’s mornings are filled with 4 to eight conferences per day. However she emphasizes that these conferences are important for fostering creativity and improvement.
“I think it’s a lot more fun to actually be developmental and creative when you’re in a room across the table from each other,” she mentioned.
On the times the place few workers are within the workplace, Lloyd makes use of the alone time to carve out plans for the following three to 5 years, and look over the funds.
12:00 p.m.: Throughout the afternoons, Lloyd focuses on one-on-one conferences with workers members. Nevertheless, she switches to the Chief Baking Officer function when she enters the take a look at kitchen to work on new recipes.
“The Chief Baking Officer hat is really project based, so it won’t be that often,” Lloyd defined.
This function entails engaged on upcoming merchandise three to 6 months prematurely, typically collaborating together with her group to style and consider new flavors.
8:00 p.m: Lloyd’s workdays can lengthen as much as 12 hours.
“It’s a long day,” Lloyd mentioned. “But I absolutely love what I do.”
She wraps up by the day by reviewing her work, checking emails, and setting the stage for the following day.
After work, Lloyd sometimes walks midway residence earlier than stopping for dinner with mates, going to the fitness center, getting a therapeutic massage, attending charity occasions, or just unwinding and training self-care.
On the weekends, Lloyd retreats to her home upstate to unwind together with her husband. Surrounded by the tranquility, she tends to her 15-acre property and finds rest by working in her backyard. There, she focuses on rising contemporary tomatoes, cucumbers, kale, and cabbage to incorporate in her meals.
However whether or not she’s within the metropolis or upstate within the mountains, Lloyd stays dedicated to her true ardour of culinary arts.
“I love spending my day in the kitchen cooking. That is a form of relaxation for me.”
