Meet: Sofia Swanson

interviews

Apr 9

Chef, Recipe Developer, & Food Stylist

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Join us as we chat with Sofia Swanson—New York-based chef, recipe developer, and food stylist—about her winding path into the food world, the realities of working in kitchens, and what it’s like navigating freelance life after years as a pastry chef at some of NYC’s most iconic restaurants. We talk pop-ups, pricing your worth, the power of aesthetic branding, and why your favorite croissant probably isn’t worth the hype.

Before we dive in, for those who aren’t familiar with you, can you share a little about what you do and where you’re based?

Yes! I’m Sofia Swanson—I’d say I’m primarily a chef, but I also do some recipe development and food styling. I’m originally from Chicago, but based in New York now.

How did you end up in New York?

It’s kind of a winding path. I went to school in L.A. at a liberal arts college and graduated a few months after COVID first broke out, in 2020. I had an arts-related job lined up, but it got cancelled due to the pandemic. I ended up moving to Seattle for a year with my boyfriend at the time, and that’s where I got my first kitchen job. I was helping out with lamination and production at a bakery (and doing dishes!) At first, I thought I’d just do it for six months before moving back to L.A., but it turned into something bigger. I really loved it, and I was good at it. Then my relationship ended and I moved to New York with some friends. I got another job at a bakery, and from there my most recent job as a pastry chef. I worked my way up really honestly, and here we are now.

Looking back, are there any memories around food or cooking that, in hindsight, feel like they led you to where you are now?

Definitely. I’ve always hoped to monetize something that I genuinely love to do. I’ve loved cooking since I was a kid—both of my parents were big cooks, and we had tons of cookbooks around growing up. I remember making cream puffs for a school bake sale when I was really young and realizing how much I enjoyed it. I knew I was good at it.

So, in a way, your training has come from real-life experience rather than traditional schooling. And now you do pop-ups, food styling, and more!

Yeah! My last full-time job was at Wildair and its sister restaurants. I was their corporate pastry chef for two and a half years, which helped me build a ton of professional connections. A lot of my opportunities have come through networking—people I’ve met through work would ask me to do things I hadn’t done before, and I’d just say, “Why not?”

That’s how I got into food styling—I started assisting Pearl Jones, who’s super talented. I love having a mix of different projects. It keeps things interesting, and I never feel like I’m stuck in the same routine every day.

From an outsider’s perspective, working in kitchens—whether as a chef, baker, or stepping into new roles—seems to require a certain level of confidence. Have you always had that self-assurance?

At this point in my career, I really trust myself to figure out whatever’s asked of me. Earlier on there was more self doubt for sure, when I didn’t have the experience for the things I was being asked to do. But I’ve always been a “fake it ‘til you make it” person. If you’re logical, adaptable, and somewhat confident, you can figure it out. So, I never saw a reason to turn down an opportunity. My first food styling assist, for example—I knew how to cook, but I didn’t know my way around all the technical aspects of styling. Still, I jumped in, and it turned out fine. Now, I feel so much more confident in that space, but I wouldn’t have gotten there if I hadn’t taken that first leap. There’s a reason it’s a stereotype that chefs have egos - you’re asking people to pay you for an experience, and you really have to believe in your own ability to provide something unique and something of quality.

I love that—it feels like advice that applies to anyone, in any industry. Especially in New York, where you kind of have to carry that attitude because if you don’t, there’s always someone ready to step in. Do you feel that competitiveness in your space, or do you just focus on your own path?

Oh, I feel it for sure. Not in a cutthroat way, but I’m always aware that there’s someone else willing to do the job—maybe even for less money. But I think you have to value yourself first. If you project that confidence, hold firm to your pricing and value, people will start to see you in that light too. Branding and marketing are such a huge part of setting yourself apart from competition as well.

Speaking of branding, your aesthetic feels so you—even though I don’t know you personally, it seems like such an authentic reflection. Did you create it yourself?

Yeah, I had a very specific vision, and I’m a bit of a control freak so I had a need to figure out how to execute it myself. I’m not a graphic designer, I took about four-six months really slowly to land on a logo, a name, and fonts that felt right. I don’t want to do it all myself forever, but now that I have that foundation of a brand, I feel ready to eventually hand it off to someone else to work with.

How did you decide to go freelance and step away from working under someone else?

There were layers to it. I was lucky at my last job—I had a lot of creative freedom, and my boss was great, and an amazing pastry chef - there was a lot to learn. But at a certain point, I felt that I had hit a ceiling of growth there, there wasn’t necessarily any more upwards movement. I also had to turn down a lot of opportunities simply because I didn’t have the time. I realized I could make more money and have more free time to work on personal projects by saying yes to the freelance jobs I was being offered. That was the tipping point. I left in October of last year, and I’ve been doing my own thing ever since.

When it comes to pop-ups, like the one at With Others, how do those opportunities come about? Do you reach out, or do people approach you

It’s a mix. With Others reached out to me after I did an event at a wine bar called Anaïs. I think they were looking for a similar vibe and crowd, so they invited me to collaborate. I’ve worked with them three times now, and they’re great. Sometimes people find me through social media, but I’ve also sent plenty of pitches that never got responses. It’s all about putting yourself out there. When you put on a great event that you’re really proud of - people tend to reach out wanting that event in their spaces as well.

When you do a pop-up, do you design the menu yourself, or is it collaborative?

Ideally, I have full control. I handle everything from food costs to ordering to menu to service, but sometimes venues request minor adjustments based on what they know sells well. It’s always a bit of a balance between personality and profit, honestly.

Outside of work, what’s your personal relationship with food like? Do you love going out to eat?

Absolutely. One of the best things about New York is the food—whether it’s fine dining or hole-in-the-wall spots.

Some of my favorites:

Superiority Burger—Owned by pastry legend Brooks Headley, it’s the kind of food I would cook for myself. Very veg forward, really good drinks and really good dessert.
Four Horsemen —Really good food, really really good service, and surprisingly tasty dessert for not having a dedicated pastry chef.
Mission Chinese—An all time favorite by Danny Bowien - get everything but especially the shiso fried rice and pickled veg.
Tashkent—a grocery store in Brighton Beach with an amazing hot and cold bar. I always get the potato vareniki with fried onions, the medovik honey cake, and something from the salad bar. I also love all the They’re actually opening one in the West Village soon.

How did you discover Tashkent?

I just love grocery stores. I love seeing the different products of a cuisine/culture that I’m not necessarily seeing in the run of the mill grocery chain. I feel like I learn a lot and I find a lot of inspiration in those scenarios. Tashkent is an Uzbek grocer - I just wandered in one day, and it was packed. That’s always a good sign - especially if the crowd is locals.

Would you ever want to open your own place?

I think working for myself has made it hard to imagine going back to working for someone else. So yeah, eventually, I’d love to open something. I’m still working on the form of what that would look like.

Would you do it in New York or L.A.?

Probably New York if anywhere. I really love L.A., but I don’t drive, which makes it hard to imagine my life more permanently there.

For someone interested in getting into the food world, what advice would you give?

You don’t necessarily need culinary school. Really the best way to learn is by doing. It may be clunky at first, but that’s just the process of starting something new. Don’t take criticism personally, it’s only for your improvement. Email chefs you admire, ask to do a stage, find a place with good kitchen staff retention, and write everything you learn down. Save your recipes!

You briefly mentioned this earlier, and I’m not sure how much you can say, but you're heading to L.A. for a pop-up. Can you share a bit more about that, especially for anyone in L.A. who might want to check it out?

Yeah! It’s going to be at Melody, which is a really beautiful space. It’s a refurbished house in Silver Lake, right across the street from Sqirl. The pop-up is happening on the 30th and 31st, and I’m doing it with my friend Katarina Liakos, who I cooked with at Wildair and have worked on pop ups with in the past. But I can’t say much more just yet!

Does being in a different place with different produce impact how you develop recipes?

Oh, 100%. I don’t like to cook with ingredients that aren’t in season because they’re just not going to be the best version of themselves. So I always go for the highest quality ingredients that are available at that moment. Creatively, it’s also really fulfilling to be informed by seasonality and location. The food always feels more personal to myself and it’s audience that way, I think.

I love that philosophy—it’s exactly how it should be. Are there any food trends you’re really into right now? And on the flip side, are there any that you just can’t get behind?

Oh, for sure. Have you seen the cookie croissant? Or just crazy stuffed croissants in general? I don’t get it. I feel like they’re just for people who want to be part of a trend and take a photo. I will never choose that over just a classic or chocolate croissant. It just feels like a gimmick—like people mashing things together for the sake of publicity.

Are there any trends you do like?

There’s this pizza place near me that does a slice with Caesar salad on top. It feels kind of cheugy but in a good way. I actually love it because that’s what I do at home anyway—I’ll make a Caesar to go with my pizza. So I like that they just pre-do it for you.

When you go to a bakery or coffee shop, what’s the one pastry you always get?

A croissant, for sure. I’ve made so many, and I would never make them for myself at home. So it’s absolutely worth paying for. Or a canele if they have it, because it’s my favorite pastry and not so common to find here.

What’s the one pastry you’d make at home instead of buying?

Probably pie. I don’t love super sweet fillings, and I have a great pie crust recipe. Plus, pies are kind of expensive to buy, so I’d rather make my own.

Is there one ingredient you’re currently obsessed with?

Lately, it’s been bay leaf—specifically fresh bay leaves. I love infusing them into cream. People think bay leaves don’t have flavor, but they really do.

That’s so interesting because I mostly only associate bay leaves with savory dishes.

Exactly! But they work really well in desserts too. I first discovered it at Wildair when we made a panna cotta with bay leaf, and now I love adding it to anything with cream. It has this warm, almost herby vanilla-like flavor that pairs really well with fruits like pears and apples or chocolate.

When you experiment with new recipes, how does that process work? Are you just testing things at home and seeing what happens?

It’s funny because I approach writing menus the same way I used to write essays in college—I have two documents open, one with ideas I’ve written over time and ingredients I want to use or are in season, and one for the menu. There’s no drafts, just one initial working period and it’s done, however long that takes. Then I test it, usually just on the job or a day or two before, and sometimes I adjust on the fly if it doesn’t turn out exactly as I imagined. I think over the years you get to being able to taste things in your mind, if that makes sense. I’m not always right though!

And when you’re recipe testing, do you rely on your own judgment, or do you get feedback from others?

I’m the first line of defense. If I like it, I’ll ask my roommate—one of my best friends from high school—because I know she’ll be honest. If I’m testing in a professional kitchen, I’ll have more people taste it when I feel it’s done, but too many opinions can clutter the process. At the end of the day, if I’m happy with it, it’s going out.

Has there ever been a time when you loved a dish, but no one else did?

Oh my god, yes. When I worked at Contra, we had a dessert with Oro Blanco grapefruit marmalade swirled through ice cream, chartreuse sabayon, and shiso. It was slightly bitter and herbaceous—but the dairy from the ice cream and egg from the sabayon really rounded it out for me— but nobody liked it except the chefs. So we had to take it off the menu, which was sad for me. But I get it—sometimes you have to consider your audience.

Speaking of audiences, does your approach change when you’re cooking for different people—like at a pop-up versus at With Others?

Definitely. But I also think that if I’m aligned with a place’s wine list, I don’t have to edit myself too much. The type of person drinking those wines is usually going to enjoy the kind of food I cook. So I try to pick venues where I won’t have to compromise my style too much.

That’s such an intentional approach—so you’re studying the whole menu before you develop your own. Where did you learn to think about food that way?

A lot of it came from working at Wildair, which is mainly a wine bar. They had a great front of house who were so knowledgeable, so I learned a lot just by being there and having tastes and taking home the last glasses of different bottles. And I have a lot of friends in the wine world, so over time, you start to recognize producers and styles that attract certain types of people. It all becomes pretty symbiotic.

I feel like I’m going to look at menus so differently after this conversation! Okay, my actual last question—do you have any interest in writing a book?

A cookbook, maybe! I’ve styled cookbooks before, and I think that would be really fun in the long run. But I definitely don’t have enough to say just yet, and I know I would be really particular about something like that. Some of my faves are Brooks Headley’s Fancy Desserts and Frozen Desserts by Fransisco Migoya.

Got it! So a cookbook is a potential future project?

Yeah, I’d love to do one eventually.

Let’s Get Deep

What’s your theme song?

Let Go - Frou Frou

Night In or Night Out?

Out! But only until like 10pm max haha

When do you feel most you?

In the kitchen with my headphones in :)

What’s something you’re obsessed with right now?

Food that looks like faces, or making a face with food (i.e mickey mouse pancakes, smiley face cookies, or more avant garde)

Call or Text?

Text

When was the last time you cried?

On the airplane to LA recently I was watching Moana 2 over someone’s shoulder and it made me weirdly emotional lol

When’s the last time you laughed (like a big belly laugh)?

I’m laughing every day!

Current favorite follow on social media?

So many but @ffffooooooood - there was an artist-run restaurant in the 70’s in Soho called FOOD that’s being reopened, and I love seeing people do weird fun shit with food. Kind of a reversal of the kind of chefs I’m used to that take themselves and their food so seriously. Let's all have a little bit more fun!!

Lastly, what’s one thing you would tell your 16-year-old self?

I think I would just say, trust yourself. Trust your decision making. It's gonna work out because you will make it work out.