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 virtually 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 government officer, Bobbie Lloyd, often known as the self-proclaimed “Chief Baking Officer” (CBO).
“I made up the title,” Lloyd instructed Fortune.
Lloyd has held numerous management roles throughout her spectacular 18-year tenure with the corporate. Because the architect behind lots of Magnolia’s confections, Lloyd has launched signature delights such because the strawberry buttercream chocolate-covered brownie chew and the salted caramel banana pudding, and even coined the “Carrie Cupcake,” a homage to the enduring character from HBO’s Intercourse and the Metropolis.
Her check kitchen, conveniently situated throughout from her workplace, is an area the place Lloyd experiments with totally 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 have a look at sweets as an indulgence,” she stated. “I don’t eat them each single day, however near it.”
Lloyd acknowledges that her cookies, desserts, and puddings won’t be the epitome of “wholesome,” however she insists Magnolia is dedicated to excluding synthetic components from its merchandise, and guarantees that every chew is “baked from scratch.”
The chief’s pursuit of stability extends past candy treats: “I at all times care for my well being,” she instructed Fortune. “Whether or not it’s strolling, operating, yoga, psychological well being, meditating, stretching, I’ve executed it my whole life.”
From one hundredth Road to 54th
Lloyd’s secret to enjoyable earlier than heading into the workplace? “I stroll to work virtually on daily basis,” Lloyd stated.
The CEO instructed Fortune she walks roughly three miles from her Higher West Aspect residence 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 really did go to my workplace on daily basis,” she stated. “I used to be the one one there.”
For Lloyd, this morning stroll was important for clearing her thoughts and discovering leisure. It was additionally a chance for her to witness town’s dynamic response to the pandemic. Every day she launched into a unique path, observing the ebb and move of companies—some closing their doorways, whereas others resiliently reopened. To today, Lloyd continues to stroll totally 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 at all times speak about operating as being my type of meditation. Lloyd stated. “Different individuals might not say that about operating, however for me, it’s about resetting the mind.”
Relying on the season, Lloyd tries to run “two or thrice per 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 she or he gave Fortune an unique peek into her each 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 residence. Lloyd at all times makes certain to start out her day with a glass of water earlier than ingesting any caffeine.
“I’ve been instructed my whole life that it helps to clear your mind and set your physique for the day,” she stated.
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 staff to assessment emails and set up a strong basis for the upcoming day. As soon as on the workplace, Lloyd will begin “with a giant cup of espresso.”
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 growth.
“I believe it’s much more enjoyable to really be developmental and artistic once you’re in a room throughout the desk from one another,” she stated.
On the times the place few staff are within the workplace, Lloyd makes use of the alone time to carve out plans for the subsequent three to 5 years, and look over the finances.
12:00 p.m.: In the course of the afternoons, Lloyd focuses on one-on-one conferences with employees members. Nevertheless, she switches to the Chief Baking Officer position when she enters the check kitchen to work on new recipes.
“The Chief Baking Officer hat is absolutely mission primarily based, so it gained’t be that always,” Lloyd defined.
This position includes engaged on upcoming merchandise three to 6 months upfront, typically collaborating along with her staff to style and consider new flavors.
8:00 p.m: Lloyd’s workdays can lengthen as much as 12 hours.
“It’s an extended day,” Lloyd stated. “However I completely love what I do.”
She wraps up by the day by reviewing her work, checking emails, and setting the stage for the subsequent day.
After work, Lloyd usually walks midway dwelling earlier than stopping for dinner with associates, going to the health club, getting a therapeutic massage, attending charity occasions, or just unwinding and working towards self-care.
On the weekends, Lloyd retreats to her home upstate to unwind along with her husband. Surrounded by the tranquility, she tends to her 15-acre property and finds leisure by working in her backyard. There, she focuses on rising recent 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 really like spending my day within the kitchen cooking. That could be a type of leisure for me.”
