We are beyond excited to welcome celebrated chocolatier, chef, entrepreneur, and (most importantly) friend, Valerie Gordon to NM Collective. Valerie, one of LA's favorite food personalities, is best known for making Valerie Confections into one of the country's most beloved and respected confectionary brands (we drool just thinking about their black sesame caramels); but VC is just a tiny morsel of the delicious world she is building. Countless top-tier media covers, roles as a respected judge on both Food Network and Netflix, and a James Beard nominated cookbook, Sweet, there doesn't seem to be anything Gordon can't cook up.

The impressive world that Valerie is creating comes at no surprise to Nat as the two have been cheering each other on for over 20 years; when a fresh-off-the-boat Nat, working an under the table job at a yoga studio, met Valerie, who was teaching at it. "I've been impressed every step of the way... from being Valerie's unofficial taste tester when we were both babies working at the studio - to seeing the incredible world she has been tirelessly building these past two decades. We were two women with very big dreams - both set on doing it - and we are - all while supporting each other every step of the way! It's magical - business, babies, and many a years' past - the excitement of watching someone you know who works so tirelessly succeed in such big ways - that's the sweetest part."

For Summer 24, Valerie styled herself and her sweet daughter Gee Gee, in some of her faves of the season. Check out pictures below.