Step into Talula’s Kitchen with Talula Dempsey
Talula Dempsey grew up surrounded by the glimmer and shine of Hollywood. Her father is Patrick Dempsey (aka “McDreamy” from Grey’s Anatomy) and her mother, Jillian Dempsey, is a celebrity makeup artist. But it was in the kitchen that Talula found her own creative pursuits; and is now blazing her own path one baked good at a time with Talula’s Kitchen, a bespoke dessert catering and specialty pastry business. It’s in the kitchen where the trained pastry chef fuels her passion for baking, something she first discovered at a young age. Time spent in the kitchen baking with her grandmother as a child led to pastry credentials from Le Cordon Bleu Paris and London followed by stints at Michelin-starred restaurants. Now Talula is setting fire (sometimes literally) to her own kitchen, budding bakery business and youtube channel where she offers helpful hints every week. She spoke to us about her journey, cooking mishaps and even shared a tip for the perfect chocolate chip cookie.
MM: You grew up in the world of Hollywood and celebrity. Did you ever feel any pressure or desire to be in the industry yourself?
TD: I never felt any pressure from my family to pursue a career in the industry. My parents have always been incredibly supportive of my brothers and me exploring our creative interests, whether or not they had anything to do with entertainment. However, I have felt pressure from people I’m not as close with, who assume it’s only natural for me to become an actress and follow in my father’s footsteps. Acting is truly a skillset I don’t possess, and I have tremendous respect for the people who do have those skills. I personally couldn’t do it, which is evident in my casting as “Reporter 2” with one line in a school play. One day, I would love to have my own cooking show where I can share my knowledge, tips, and tricks with people. But it definitely wouldn’t be scripted, as I’d never be able to remember the lines.
I think it’s so great to see others going after a creative pursuit driven by their passions. Was that important to you, to blaze your own path, and follow your own passion for cooking?
Yes! I always knew I’d have an untraditional job, but I didn’t figure out exactly what that would be until I was in my 20s. I’ve always been told the adage, “choose a job you love, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life,” and every time I cook, I truly feel that. Any day I get to step into the kitchen and create something for work is a day I’m incredibly grateful for.
How did you discover your passion for patisserie?
I’ve always loved spending time in the kitchen, experimenting with different desserts from a young age. My passion truly ignited when my grandmother gifted me a baking kit filled with everything I needed to make cupcakes. I was eight years old and I became so excited that I made cupcakes every day for the next 12 days, until I ran out of supplies.
Congratulations on Talula’s Kitchen. Tell us all about it!
Talula’s Kitchen was born from an idea I had while jet-lagged in Italy, just before starting my second program at Le Cordon Bleu in London in 2023. I wanted to turn my passion for baking into a business, creating desserts that bring joy to others. After lots of trial and error, I developed a small, curated menu of pastries — all handmade from the freshest ingredients — designed for events, gifts and fun treats. I’m excited to be expanding the business and will be announcing new additions at the beginning of the new year.
I love a “kitchen nightmares” type of story. Do you have any fun disasters of your own in the kitchen that you’d like to share?
Where do I even start with this! Unfortunately, I have more than a few kitchen disasters under my belt, but I’ve learned that mistakes are often the best teachers. I was working at a restaurant where one of the petit fours included a miso caramel that needed to be prepped. I usually handled this, so I felt comfortable leaving it simmering while I quickly ran to the pantry in another room to grab an ingredient I needed for service later that day. Of course the ingredient wasn’t in its usual spot. It was hidden behind several heavy flour bags, and digging it out took way longer than expected. By the time I made it back to my station, the caramel had gone way past golden and was completely burnt. It was so bad my eyes started tearing up from the smell. I had to open every door and turn on the fans just to clear the air before anyone noticed. Thankfully, my boss found it hilarious and even helped me figure out how to get rid of the evidence without drawing attention to the scene of the crime. Lesson learned: never leave your caramel unattended!
Your cookie mix truly makes the best cookies. What’s the secret to a perfect chocolate chip cookie? Are you willing to share?
I think chocolate chip cookies are one of the most divisive desserts since everyone has a different idea of what makes the perfect one. Some prefer them chewy, others like them crispy, some with different chocolate variations, others with nuts. There really is no one way to make them! That said, in my experience, a higher ratio of brown sugar to granulated sugar is key to achieving that chewy texture I love. I also like to add an extra egg yolk to help retain moisture, which makes the cookie rich and satisfying. As for the chocolate, I’m a big fan of semi-sweet. It strikes the perfect balance between sweet and slightly bitter, and lets the other flavors shine through without overpowering them.
You launched a YouTube channel with weekly videos recently. What are you hoping to share with viewers?
I’m hoping to share the tips and tricks I’ve picked up throughout my journey in the culinary world, whether that’s something I learned in culinary school, on the job, or through running my own business. I think it’s important to keep sharing what I’ve learned, because you never know who it might help or inspire.
For the amateur baker, what are some important lessons you can impart that you might have learned early on in your own baking journey?
Keep practicing even if something turns out terribly. As long as you stick with it, you’ll get better each time. When I first started out professionally, I would make a variety of pastries to practice my techniques and gain more hands-on experience. More often than not, I’d mess up a crucial step and end up with something far from perfect or something that straight up tasted horrible. But I realized that each of those mistakes taught me something. They helped me avoid making the same errors in the future, especially things I wouldn’t have even thought to consider before. For example, I used to be horrible at placing pastry dough into tart pans. My crusts were always uneven, burned in random spots, or shrank in the oven. But after repeatedly making the same mistakes, I started doing research and taught myself how to correct them: letting the dough rest once it was in the tin to prevent shrinking, pressing it gently into the corners to avoid a sunken bottom, and using a knife to cleanly trim the edges. By continuing to practice something I initially wasn’t comfortable with, I not only improved, but discovered a new love for working with pastry dough. Now, it’s actually therapeutic! Anytime I’m stressed, you can find me lining tart pans. I would’ve never expected that, but it came from simply sticking with the process.
You’ve had some fun collaborations recently. Can we expect more things like this for Talula’s Kitchen? What’s next?
Yes!! I cannot say exactly what they are, but just know that they will be delicious!
Who are your own personal inspirations? It doesn’t have to be a chef or baker!
My personal inspirations are my parents. I know that might sound like a cliché, but it’s truly how I feel. I’m constantly amazed by their creativity, drive, and the way they approach life with openness and acceptance. Their support and example have shaped so much of who I am, both personally and professionally.
Your substack and website offers some great tips on everything from travel to baking to go-to restaurants in different cities. Are there still some spots or dishes left on your bucket list?
Absolutely! I have a long list on my phone of cities around the world I’m hoping to visit, especially for their food. At the top of my bucket list are Mexico City, Lima, Cartagena, Marrakech, San Sebastián, and Buenos Aires. I also dream of dining at Alchemist in Copenhagen and Grotta Palazzese in Polignano a Mare.
What’s been the most rewarding aspect of Talula’s Kitchen so far?
That’s a hard question to answer, but I’d say the most rewarding part has been seeing my products make people genuinely happy. It’s incredibly meaningful to know that something I created with care can brighten someone’s day. It’s also been fulfilling to watch this idea come to life. I never could have imagined that Talula’s Kitchen would grow into what it is today, especially considering it all started as a jet-lagged idea that popped into my head during a quiet moment.
What is your very favorite thing to bake?
I’d say my raspberry almond tartlets. I find the process of lining the tartlet molds really therapeutic. And I love how everything comes together, especially when I top them with raspberries and fresh flowers.
What excites you the most about creating delicious things for Talula’s Kitchen?
The potential to make both people’s bellies and souls happy. There’s nothing more fulfilling than seeing others enjoy my food. It brings me so much satisfaction to know that I can create something that brings joy to their day.
– Max Milla Photography