Valerie Gordon

Entirely self-taught, Valerie offers a variety of chocolates and desserts through Valerie Confections. In addition to a thriving catering business and her flagship Silver Lake boutique, she opened Valerie Echo Park and Valerie at Grand Central Market in 2013, which explore her savory side and offer rustic, contemporary Californian cuisine with French influences for breakfast and lunch. That same year, she released her James Beard Finalist cookbook, Sweet (Artisan Books), which she wrote and styled herself and presents her signature desserts.