Since the late 1980s, Nancy Silverton has brought everything from artisanal bread (La Brea Bakery) and pizza (Pizzeria Mozza) to gelato (Nancy’s Fancy) to Los Angeles, her offerings so delicious they’ve overpowered residents’ usual resistance to such indulgences. With more than 10 cookbooks, the California chef and baker has taught novices how to re-create her sourdough loaves and butterscotch budinos at home. Her latest, The Cookie That Changed My Life, is a baking bible with more than 100 recipes, from peanut-butter cookies to buttermilk biscuits and chocolate brandy cake. While Silverton was born, raised, and still resides in Southern California, she often travels to Italy and France for culinary inspiration. Here, she answers our questionnaire about what she packs, eats, and buys while traveling.
Last flight you took?
Paris to Los Angeles. I spent a week traveling through Marseille, Nice, and Paris with my friends.
Favorite airline?
United.
What do you wear to the airport?
Clothes that I can get off of the plane and start my day right away. I like to hit the ground running when I get off the plane.
How long before your flight boards do you get to the airport?
Whatever the recommended time is, depending on international or domestic travel.
Check bags, or carry-on only?
Check bags, always.
What do you bring in your carry-on?
My iPad so I can read, chargers, extra toothbrush, makeup (just in case my checked bag doesn’t make it), hand wipes, occasionally an extra scarf or thin sweater in case I get cold.
T.S.A. PreCheck, or regular?
T.S.A. PreCheck and Global Access.
Favorite airport?
Barcelona.
What do you buy in the airport?
Always a coffee, but every once in a while I need a new accessory from Tumi.
What do you do while waiting to board?
Catch up on work and chat on the phone.
Item you can’t fly without?
My iPad.
Do you take any drugs or alcohol to fly?
No.
First class or coach?
Business class.
Window, middle, or aisle seat?
Aisle.
How do you pass the time in the air?
Reading.
Do you buy Wi-Fi?
No.
Do you eat plane food?
No.
Best plane snack?
Warm, mixed nuts.
Best drink to get on a flight?
Coffee.
Do you talk to the people sitting next to you?
No, I prefer to keep to myself and catch up on my reading.
Keep shoes on or off on the plane?
On.
What do you do when turbulence hits?
Keep on reading—it doesn’t affect me!
Worst part of the flight?
Waiting on the tarmac.
First thing you do when the plane lands?
Turn on my phone, listen to my messages, and respond to texts.
Advice for travelers?
AirTags are really fantastic—just stick them in your checked bag. If the airline says they lost your bag, then you can show them exactly where your bag is. It gives me a lot of peace of mind.
Nancy Silverton’s The Cookie That Changed My Life is out now from Knopf