Since 2012, only San Antonio and Dallas residents have been able to enjoy Bird Bakery’s banana bread, fruit cobblers and cupcakes made from the family recipes of couple Elizabeth Chambers Hammer and Armie Hammer. Until now.
Chambers Hammer personally dropped off batches of cookies at Jack & Ben’s, the private commissary of Beverly Hills-based WME, which represents her and Hammer. Though the restaurant’s Instagram account encouraged employees to stop in for a monster cookie (flourless, made with oats, peanut butter, chocolate chips and M&Ms), the public will have to sate their sweet tooth some other way — unless invited to the private eatery by an agent.
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THR caught up with Chambers Hammer to get the skinny on Bird’s plans for L.A. and how the new partnership came about.
Congrats on the first showing of Bird Bakery in Los Angeles. How did this come to be for Jack & Ben’s?
Thank you so much! We’re happy to be here. For years, people have asked when I’m opening a location in L.A. and how they can enjoy Bird without traveling to Texas. We’re very focused right now on opening our Denver location, but I wanted to have a presence in L.A. and, selfishly, wanted to be able to enjoy our cookies even when I don’t have time to bake them myself. It was my TV agent, Danielle Hammer (not related, but wish she were) who had the brilliant idea to partner with Jack & Ben’s.
You’re keeping it in the family at WME, which reps both you and Armie. How long will the cookies be there?
It’s always good to keep it in the family, and many of our friends and agents at WME have loved Bird for years. They’ve ordered wrap gifts, holiday baskets and on many other occasions, so the fact that they can now enjoy in the convenience of their own building is exciting. As of now, Jack & Ben’s has a standing order, so the cookies are there to stay!
Are there plans to offer the cookies permanently there or elsewhere in the city?
We plan on offering them permanently at Jack & Ben’s, and I would be open to other locations in the city further down the road.
What’s the response been so far? How many cookies are you delivering?
People have loved them! We’re shipping the dough so the cookies are baked by the chefs freshly on-site throughout the day. Our motto at Bird is, “freshest, finest, from scratch. Every day.” We wanted to stay true to that.
A version of this story first appeared in the June 19 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
