Breanne Varela Breanne Varela was a pastry chef known for her indulgent signature sweet potato doughnuts, killer cookies, and irresistible cupcakes. She ran the pastry and dessert programs at James Beard Award-winning Los Angeles restaurants A.O.C. and Lucques, as well as Tavern and Larder at Tavern. Experience Breanne Varela's career as a pastry chef gained traction when she helmed the pastry department at critically acclaimed Los Angeles restaurants A.O.C. and Lucques, co-owned by powerhouse restauranteurs Chef Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne. She was part of the early culinary team that helped establish Lucques as one of the top restaurants in Los Angeles. Breanne managed to craft nuanced desserts with only a deck oven and stovetop within reach of her small corner workstation. Tavern's comparatively larger space allowed Breanne and her team to produce more than 35 pounds of cookie dough a day, almost all sold in a day. Aside from her chocolate chip cookies, some of her noteworthy specialties include, a spiced chocolate panna cotta served with pepita brittle and candied pumpkin and strawberry scones with frangipane mixed into the dough. About Food & Wine Food & Wine, a Dotdash Meredith Brand, is an award-winning online resource for anyone passionate about the culinary world. With rigorously tested recipes and the most trusted restaurant, drinks, culinary travel and home coverage, we inspire and empower people everywhere to discover, create, and devour the best in food and wine. Learn more about us and our editorial process.