We had the good fortune of connecting with Jennifer L Ban and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jennifer L, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
In all honesty, it was not a business idea but an outlet for me. I love creating things with my hands, and I also love sharing what I love with others. I started piping because I just fell in love with the flower piping techniques and how I could create our traditional desserts with a modern twist.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
There are quite a bit of people who are doing what we do now as these modernized Korean desserts are becoming pretty trendy in this community. However, I believe what sets us apart is our piping skills, color selections, and arrangements. Also, we strive to make our products from the best quality for our customers by prioritizing fresh and healthy ingredients, even if it takes a bit of extra investment on our end. It was not easy to come this far to where we are now, but honestly, we still have so much to learn and grow. There are still so many Korean desserts to share, and we are eager to share with non Koreans as well. Rice Blossoms’ goal is to have Korean desserts more recognizable as other aspects of Korean culture are becoming well known.

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?
Things have changed so much since the pandemic; however, if I were to plan…. I would start the day at a museum and lunch at a rooftop restaurant in DTLA (Perch is my favorite place), and end the night with KBBQ in KoreaTown. Visit to The Grove – Umami Burger and the farmers market is a must. You cannot miss a day out at the beach – Bike ride, jogging or just a stroll out in Santa Monica, Malibu or Venice beach would be great to experience the ultimate LA vibes. A stop at Father’s Office for a cold beer is highly recommended. Hiking at Griffith park and seeing the view of LA is something I always do with my visitors, and Hollywood at night will be exciting. Republique, Lawry’s the prime rib, Jon and Vinny’s, and King Taco are some of my favorites places to grub and end the night!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Yes, I would love to dedicate my shoutout to 1. Davina from Made and Co, she is actually the very first official planner that recognized my creations and started having me participate in her events. I never had a chance to truly thank her so I would like to say thanks to her, her amazing work, and always making our desserts shine. 2. Nancy from So Happi Together is another amazing event planner and friend. Her work is beautiful but she has the most beautiful, warm, and kind heart. She is also a mom of 4 and someone that I always look up to to seek help and advice. 3. Ellen from Nossibojagi is another person I really respect as she is very knowledgeable in the traditional Korean cultural experiences. Love what she does for the community.

Website: www.riceblossoms.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rice_blossoms/

Image Credits
Orange Blossom Photography & La Olivia Sally Pinera & So Happi Together Hwasoban Sy Kim Photography Lani Ohye Photography

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutSocal 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.