The Ice Cream Innovator: An Interview with Sam Mason
Summer will be here before you know it, and we’re thrilled to be hosting an innovative ice cream workshop featuring the madcap creations of OddFellows' Chef Sam Mason on Sunday, April 19th.
What have you been up to since your last CAPS class?
The slower winter months, business-wise, seem to inspire a creative spark. We tend to do a lot of research and development in the cold months—for example, we’ve been working on cocktail popsicles with up to 40% alcohol. We’re also always finding new ways of using liquid nitrogen to help make our kitchen more efficient, whether for “chopping” nuts or adding one ice cream flavor to another.
How challenging is it to operate multiple locations?
Our Williamsburg location is our production space, so the only issue that comes with multiple spaces is transportation. Everything else is just the standard growing pains of volume and production.
Do you prefer being an entrepreneur to working in restaurants? The restaurant thing is amazing, but, as you can discover, it’s a huge daily commitment with little respite. It can also be rather unforgiving. Entrepreneurship has a bit more flexibility.
What will be the focus of your April 19th CAPS class?
My goal for the class is to have each student walk away with a newfound excitement for ice cream and its endless possibilities.
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