We had the good fortune of connecting with Allison Osorio and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Allison, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I started my business after I lost my job during the pandemic. Like many people, I found myself stuck at home with something I’ve never had before and that was time. Time is a true luxury. I started to find new interests, new ideas, new courage. Plus I had the time to listen to my community. Listening is such a strong skill to develop. Listening to yourself and to others. Through that experience in 2020, I decided to just go for it and start my own business, I really had nothing else to lose.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Being a chef is like any other form of art in my opinion. And when you’re an artist, you feel like there’s a million other artist just like you tying to get to the same destination. I think what sets me or anyone apart is having a strong mindset. Obviously you have to put in the work to attain the skills, but after that, you really have to be confident in what you do. I know who I am, I know what I am capable of making and I know that no one can do it like me. And that doesn’t mean I’m better or worse, that just means no one can be me. And that’s the really cool thing about art, everyone has their own special touch.

I can say that now, but it took a lot of years of getting beat up, dismissed, belittled and tested. Once you’ve fought many battles, you just come out stronger. For the last 10 years I think I have really focused on my technical skills and navigating the restaurant industry, which was wonderful and very useful, you need that. But now, I’m learning that I’m not just a chef, I’m a woman. I have feelings, experiences, a voice and other passions. My brand focuses on pastry education, mindset courses, we launched merchandise, we’ve created a fun social media community and in year two, we hope to expand that further. It’s a cumulation of all the things I love as a Pastry Chef.

When you step our of your position in a company and decide to go solo, I think it’s really useful to take a look at the bigger picture. How can you serve people best with your skills, yes, but ultimately how can you make your industry a better place? it’s a big question, but a lot of people taking a lot of little steps can really move the needle. The goal with my brand is just to educate the next generation of pastry chefs in a way where they know they can have a meaningful and positive impact in our field.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Some of my favorite places in LA are our beautiful beaches. Taking a long run or bike ride from Santa Monica to Malibu is always fun. Or maybe a morning at the Getty Museum.

Hitting Clark Street for some coffee and pastries is a must. Driving over to downtown for some tacos at Sonoratown and maybe a churro at Detroit for lunch. And dinner has endless options as this city is filled with talented chefs. Some of my favorites are Otium (dwtn), Kato (dwtn), Bavel (dwtn), Mother’s Wolf (Hollywood), Pizzeria Mozza (West Hollywood), Republique (West Hollywood).

The Rosebowl Flea Market is awesome. Walking around Abbot Kinney is great. And a scenic drive through Beverly Hills and the Hollywood Hills is always fun, there’s so many beautiful homes to look at.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Gabe Masinas, who is one of my photographers, shoots a lot of my work simply because he’s a huge fan of food and cooking. But he’s also an incredible artist working in the interior architectural design space. He has a great vision for clean, minimal and purposeful compositions and he’s a professional that I admire.

Website: www.chefallisonolivia.com

Instagram: allison_olivia

Image Credits
Photographer: Gabe Masinas Instagram: @gmasinas

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.