Meet Becca Graf | Owner & Pastry Chef of Churned Detroit

We had the good fortune of connecting with Becca Graf and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Becca, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
During the 2020 lock down, it seemed like so many people were making the most of being stuck in. I went through a rough time; restaurants shut down and I never thought I would see the day when my career would come to a halt like that. I got laid off and immediately went to work at a grocery store because I didn’t know what was coming next. I knew I needed to find a creative outlet for myself, I needed some sort of vessel that could take on all the ideas that were floating around in my head for new desserts and exciting flavor combinations. I was a personal shopper at the grocery store so inspiration was all around me, I just needed something that could scratch that itch. I remember thinking to myself, “I see savory pop ups and home bakeries in almost every neighborhood. What is something that I am good at that isn’t being done yet? What is something that will challenge me?”. Churned was born out of a purely inventive standpoint. It was never about making a lot of side cash like I saw my savory counterparts making. For me, Churned was about trying to use local products, from the milk and cream to the herbs and fruit, to build a flavor that you can’t buy on the shelves at a grocery store. Churned was and always will be about being able to make flavors of ice cream that make people’s eyes widen as they take that first bite and have them immediately dig back in for more.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
One of my proudest moments, my “Hey look Mom, I made it!” moment, was when I was able to sell out a plated dinner at Folk Detroit. The owner Rohani Foulkes and GM Kyle Coppock had approached me about teaming up for an event in their space. We hashed out a “Breakfast for Dinner” idea where each course would have a different kind of ice cream on it. Foulkes asked me to try and incorporate some savory options and at the time I had never done a savory ice cream yet. I was excited for the challenge and came up with KCF Chicken Flavored ice cream to go on my chicken and waffles dish. Foulkes and Coppock have been super supportive of Churned, from setting up an interview for Eater Detroit to asking me back for several other events. They were the ones to first challenge me to set myself apart from other ice cream makers in the sense that I have made more savory ice creams since then, my proudest one being inspired by the Thai coconut chicken soup, Tom Kha Gai. I was able to incorporate some heat from jalapenos, a sweetness from the coconut frozen yogurt and topped it all with a crunchy spicy chili crisp.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I live just outside of Detroit in Dearborn Heights and the first thing I would suggest is that we head downtown. Detroit has some of the most amazing places to grab a bite, see a show, or even just hang with friends.

Totally biased, but a MUST GO is Marrow Butcher Shop and Restaurant for lunch, dinner, or even to grab some meat for grilling on Belle Isle, if the weather is beautiful we are definitely going to have a picnic. Batch Brewing Company is my favorite brewery, I worked there for a year and I will say they always have something fun going on! For cocktails with a chill vibe, I would recommend Two Birds right down the block from Marrow. Amazing cocktails and often featuring a fun pop up like my friend, Marksie Cooking!

At some point during the week, I would highly recommend starting at Warda Patisserie for some breakfast delights and an amazing baklava latte before heading to the DIA, which was just voted Best Museum in the nation by USA Today. Depending on the day, catching a game at Comerica Park is a good time regardless of the score. I personally am always down for a Broadway musical at the beautiful Fisher Theater. The entertainment is endless no matter the season.

To close out the weekend, I would suggest hitting up some vintage shops in Eastern Market. Obviously hitting up the Saturday market to grab some fresh produce from some friends farms like Jack of Rising Pheasant Farms or Andy of Fisheye Farms. If you leave the market, you better have some pierogis in your bag from Pietrzyk Pierogi and a croissant donut from White Lotus Farms, preferably the Boston creme variety.

Detroit is full of amazing spots to grab food from; pop ups are high up on my list. Once summer hits, you can find my friends doing anything from whole pig roasts to smash burgers. I personally prefer pop ups, like Khana Detroit, Shinto’s Supper Club, and Melway Burger over chains or over priced steak houses.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Obviously, I want to shout out all of my supporters, friends, and family first because without them Churned would just be an idea. They aren’t lying when they say it takes a village. So shout out to all my day 1 customers, the ones who have suggested flavors, bought the weirdest flavors, and given me feedback throughout the years.

To narrow it down to one person is easy; she’s been a great friend, mentor, and boss over the course of 10 years now, Sarah Welch. I always used to say “When I grow up I want to be Sarah.” I will always admire her talents and hard work and count myself lucky to have her as a friend and mentor. Without her giving me the space to nurture and grow my love of cooking, I wouldn’t have learned or wanted to create innovative flavors. She gets recognition locally and nationally; but I have to give her some personal recognition because I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t been able to look up to someone and say “Damn… I want to be like that”

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Image Credits
All photos taken by Becca Graf