Meet Victoria Lai. She’s an attorney-turned-icecreampreneur who has long loved channeling her creativity and passion for flavors into making ice cream. She started making ice cream in her apartment kitchen six years ago, and since then has decided to deliberately add passion, creativity, color, and flavors to every aspect of her life. One of those aspects is her Navy Yard store, Ice Cream Jubilee.

1. How did you make the leap from attorney to ice cream manufacturer?

I love the creative freedom that I have dreaming up new ice cream flavors. While I was an attorney – whether working in corporate law, clerking, or as a political appointee – working with food made me so happy, I thought it would always be my escape, rather than my day-to-day career. In 2013, I competed in the DC Scoop competition against 18 other ice cream manufacturers, and the 8000+ attendees voted Ice Cream Jubilee as People’s Choice for Best Ice Cream! I was content with that title, but a few weeks later the developers of the Capitol Riverfront emailed me and asked me if I would like to open a store in Southeast DC.

2. What is it about DC’s character that made you want to open a brick and mortar storefront here?

Washington, DC is a wonderful place to start a business. I’ve found that most Washingtonians, whether they’re here for days or for decades, are open-minded and educated about the world around them. Ice Cream Jubilee’s seasonal menu is well-suited to DC’s fast-paced lifestyle because you can try new flavors every time you visit the store.

The Capitol Riverfront neighborhood is unique among all the DC-area neighborhoods. I love the open, grassy fields, waterfront boardwalks, fountains for kids to play in, and free concerts and events every week. It is a breath of fresh air in a bustling city. When you look forward to arriving at work each day, you know you’re in the right place.

3. Ice Cream Jubilee’s flavors are complex and creative. What’s goes into inventing a new flavor combination?

When creating new flavors, I take inspiration from everything around me. Luckily, I love talking and reading about food. My favorite flavor combinations have a flavor arc with at least three components: intense, familiar, and surprising. For example, Mango Habanero combines the strong, sweet flavors of ripe mangos with our sweet, local, all-natural cream. To some people, the flavor is familiar like a mango lassi (a South Asian yogurt drink). To me, it reminds me of the mango pudding my grandfather would sneak onto my plate, regardless of whether I finished my meal. Seven seconds after your first taste, right as you are exploring these memories or dreaming of exotic travels, the spiciness of our homemade habanero syrup heats the sides of your tongue and you have to dive in for a second creamy spoonful to quench the spice.

4. What’s been the most challenging part of creating an ice cream startup?

The most surprising challenge about starting Ice Cream Jubilee has been the physical demands of serving ice cream. I’ve pulled all-nighters in school, on political campaigns, and at desk jobs, but I found that standing for 8 hours can feel more taxing

It’s no surprise that ice cream has seasonal demands, and we all know that the winter of 2014 was long. However we found that people love having Ice Cream Jubilee delivered to their door when it’s freezing outside!

5. The Obama family rolls up to the Ice Cream Jubilee shop and they all want to try different flavors. What flavors from current or past menus do you recommend?

My mother grew up in Honolulu, not far from where President Obama lived, so my flavors are inspired by many of the same Asian flavors that are familiar to the President. I would serve him a scoop of our Coconut Lychee Lime sorbet. I’d treat Mrs. Obama to our ice cream cookie pies – perhaps Dark & Stormy in a Snickerdoodle – because it’s an indulgence in just two bites. I’d be thrilled to send several Sundae Boxes and milkshakes back to the White House for their staff and Vice President Biden and his team.