Since Salt & Straw’s modest beginnings in Portland in 2011, the brand has become synonymous with artisanal creativity, daring flavor pairings, and uncompromised small-batch quality. What started as a single cart evolved into over 40 shops across seven states, each one delivering handcrafted scoops that reflect local ingredients and culinary curiosity. At the heart of this rise is Tyler Malek, chef, co‑founder, and creative visionary whose influence on the world of ice cream has become as layered and surprising as the flavors he devises.
Back in 2016, Tyler was featured by Millennial Magazine as “an ice‑cream mixologist,” a nod to his instinctive ability to tell stories through taste. He described flavor creation as much more than a recipe—it was narrative. Over the years that narrative has deepened, tempered by Salt & Straw’s evolution from a Portland-born concept to a nationwide tastemaker.
Now, a decade later, Tyler has woven that story into America’s Most Iconic Ice Creams, his debut cookbook co-authored with James Beard Award-winning food writer JJ Goode. Launched in the spring of 2025, the book dives into something Salt and Straw ice cream isn’t traditionally known for…classics. But in proper fashion, this cookbook takes classics to a whole new level- offering the chef freedom to reimagine them any way they see fit.
Reimagining the Classics, Through the Salt & Straw Lens
America’s Most Iconic Ice Creams begins with a deceptively simple base—a five-minute recipe that anchors the entire collection. Whether it’s vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry you are looking to expand on, Tyler has provided an easy starter recipe that acts as the springboard for innovation.
Much like a master stock in soup-making, this versatile foundation unlocks richer explorations. Tyler explains that while honoring America’s Classics, the book is “really in love with looking at the core classics, tripling down on the quality and using Salt & Straw’s creativity and innovation in ways you would never expect.” Each flavor is rooted in tradition yet leavened with surprise—just as fans have grown to expect.
Inside, readers discover ten seminal flavors: vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, coffee, green tea, pistachio, cookie dough, salted caramel, cereal, and rum raisin. Each is examined, demystified, and then reinterpreted through the Salt and Straw ice cream whimsical lens, yielding riffs like Strawberry Honey Balsamic with Black Pepper, Toasted Sourdough, Chili Crisp Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup (which we were lucky to taste), and Coffee Toffee Banoffee.
Drawing from extensive testing, they offer more than recipes—they offer a philosophy of flavor. As Tyler puts it, “Making a pint of ice cream is very similar to making a pot of soup… If you have a good stock base recipe… you start just adding to it until it tastes good.” That cinematic yet technical approach encourages experimentation—once you understand the ingredients, “you can just go wild.”
From Portland Origins to Nationwide Inspiration
Salt & Straw’s growth has never diluted what makes it distinctive. The entire production process remains rooted in Portland, ensuring every pint—no matter where it’s sold—begins with the same attention to detail. It was during an editorial partnership for HI USA back in 2015 that Salt & Straw first crossed our path. Our minds were forever blown away by its originality, depth, and sheer joy in flavor-making. It quickly became clear that this was more than a local gem; it was a brand destined to become a household name in ice cream. A year later, in 2016, Salt & Straw had expanded to Los Angeles, where we had the chance to interview Tyler.
More than nine years since that first interview, Tyler has gone on to open 40 shops across the country, invented over 1,500 unique ice cream flavors, and authored two cookbooks. His career has also included a judging role on Food Network’s Chopped, while personally, he’s celebrated major milestones—getting married and becoming a father to two young children, now aged two and four.
As Tyler acknowledges, scaling came with creative challenges and surprises: “As we continue to grow, each city changes our taste buds and how we build our flavors. There is so much food culture in each city, and each new opening helps us to find flavor inspiration.”
Each store isn’t just a new market—it’s a new local flavor lab. Collaborations with chefs, bakeries, breweries, chocolatiers, and even celebrities—ranging from Chrissy Teigen to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson—add layers to Salt & Straw’s evolving taste profile. PopUps in New York and chocolate collaborations in LA are manifestations of a brand that adapts, collaborates, and celebrates regionality while staying true to its small-batch, Portland-rooted ethos.
Nostalgia Meets Reinvention
A key thread in the cookbook is nostalgia. Cookies and cereals, childhood favorites, and summer staples are reframed with the sophistication of Salt & Straw’s artistry. That transformation is especially potent in the reinterpretation of classics like Cookie Dough and Golden Grahams S’mores.
When asked which nostalgic scoop stood out, Tyler immediately highlighted Cookie Dough: “The most interesting thing about this one is that it took us a long time to create our own interpretation of this classic flavor. We started bringing in malts, salt, etc., to put our own twist on it without messing something up that is such a core, beloved recipe.” The result is a cookie dough that feels both familiar and layered—with malt yolk richness, a balanced savory touch, and texture that surprises the palate.
This process embodies the brand’s creative DNA: engage nostalgia, but never rest on it. Instead, dissect the ingredients, understand the science behind them, then reconstruct. Tyler notes, “For us, a lot of it came down to what stories we are trying to tell in the food scene. We wanted to focus on how we interact with ingredients. The idea is that as you learn more about chocolate and vanilla, it transforms the way you think of all future iterations of those flavors.”
Innovation Within Operational Excellence
Tyler has always been clear that creativity without execution is lost potential. The most remarkable aspect of Salt & Straw’s journey has been its ability to grow geographically without compromising small-batch standards. As Tyler reflects, “We’ve taken every step to operationalize small‑batch ice cream making as we continue to grow. A lot of ice cream makers say it’s impossible to do what we do. We are constantly innovating while still making every batch of ice cream in Portland, Oregon.”
At the recent demo and book signing at Williams Sonoma in Westlake Village, Tyler elaborated on the meticulous production process that underpins Salt & Straw’s signature texture and flavor. Each day, fresh three-gallon batches are made and set with precision.
His morning routine begins with cutting into each batch from the previous night to inspect its structure and consistency. He shared insider tips with attendees, including a crucial one for home ice cream makers: to preserve texture and prevent freezer burn, place a piece of parchment paper directly on the surface before sealing the container, then flip it upside down to ensure an airtight seal.
This commitment to quality keeps the brand’s creative ambition grounded in reliable production—a feat that impresses even seasoned industry insiders.
Each visit to a Salt & Straw shop offers not only a scoop but a promise: locally inspired flavors, crafted with the same Portland attention to detail, even as they expand from city to city.
Where It’s All Headed
While Tyler’s current focus is on supporting America’s Most Iconic Ice Creams, his creative impulses continue to be shaped by the dual engines of tradition and innovation. That dynamic is evident in every recipe, demo, and collaboration he leads. His goal remains clear: to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary—whether through a nostalgic scoop elevated by scientific nuance or a humble cookie given depth through malt and salt enhancement.
Salt & Straw’s brand trajectory mirrors Tyler’s personal path. What began with a cart in Portland has now grown into a cultural presence, known for stirring up seasonal curiosity, communal celebration, and creative possibility. Tyler’s cookbook distills this trajectory into something portable and inspirational: a guide for home cooks to unpack taste, test boundaries, and ultimately tell their own stories through ice cream.
Future flavors may well be inspired by new cities, celebrity partnerships, or regional ingredients yet to be explored—but they will always carry Salt & Straw’s signature style: curious, textural, thoughtful, and fundamentally delicious.
The Final Scoop
From our first conversation nearly a decade ago to today, Tyler Malek has remained true to the vision of Salt and Straw ice cream as a medium of storytelling. His new cookbook is both homage and toolkit, celebrating classic American flavors while equipping home cooks to reimagine them with artistry and precision.
The LA tour offers a delicious preview of his work: demos that bring the test kitchen to life, book talks that decode his process, and limited‑edition treats that turn pages into palates.
Most importantly, Tyler’s philosophy stands firm: master your base, and the world of flavor is yours to shape. Whether you’re a seasoned ice cream fanatic or a curious home cook, America’s Most Iconic Ice Creams promises to be the spark that turns your sweet soup stock into something unforgettable.
So nine years since our first interview with Tyler, it’s easy to say we are amazed, but not surprised. Because while the scale has grown, the heartbeat remains the same: creativity, curiosity, and craftsmanship in every scoop.
FAQs: Everything You Want to Know
Q: Is America’s Most Iconic Ice Creams Tyler Malek’s first cookbook?
A: No, this is his 2nd cookbook. His first, “Salt & Straw Ice Cream Cookbook” also co‑authored with JJ Goode, aimed at sharing the creative flavors that put Salt & Straw on the map.
Q: Can I really make Salt and Straw ice cream at home?
A: Yes. The cookbook starts with a five-minute base recipe and teaches foundational techniques for gelato, custard, vegan coconut, and ice cream. Covering equipment, mix-ins, and methods, it guides you from basics to advanced flavor experimentation .
Q: Where is Tyler touring for the cookbook?
A: In Los Angeles from June 14–19, with demos at Williams Sonoma (Westlake & Southcoast Plaza), a book talk at Book Soup (June 17), and a limited‑edition Matcha Ice Cream Sandwich Pop‑Up at Ggiata Delicatessen (June 19–22) .
Q: What’s Tyler’s signature ice cream philosophy today?
A: It remains the same: a reliable base is key to exploration. As he tells his fans, “Making a pint of ice cream is very similar to making a pot of soup”—and once you master the stock, you can flavor endlessly .
Q: Has Salt & Straw remained small‑batch?
A: Yes. Despite over 40 shops, production remains in Portland, where Tyler and his team innovate and scale artisanal-quality ice cream every single day.
