Surround yourself with the aromas and flavors of vanilla during a celebration of the orchid that yields this delicious spice. Savor an afternoon of cooking demos along with plant discovery and sensory experiences, then enjoy a mini vanilla sundae.
With Orchid Daze in full bloom, a visit to the Garden from 1 – 4 p.m. is the perfect way to shake off the winter blues. Indulge the senses and learn interesting information at vanilla discovery stations and activities.
Drop in for these fun vanilla-inspired activities:
1 p.m. | Presentation about how vanilla is grown and produced by the team at Bauni*
1:30 p.m. | Chef Demonstration by Crystal Leach, Pastry Chef, The Sweet Life
2:30 p.m. | Chef Demonstration by Jessica Champagne, Executive Pastry Chef, Canoe
3:30 p.m. | Chef Demonstration by Lindsey Davis, Pastry Chef, Lazy Betty
*Learn more about the presenters at Bauni and the chefs below.
1 – 4 p.m. | Drop-in Discovery Stations
Get up close with a vanilla orchid and learn how it flavors our favorite desserts while you explore some vanilla-growing regions around the world. For all the chocolate-lovers out there, visit our cacao tree to see the plant that produces chocolate!
Learn the steps to make delicious vanilla extract at home, taste interesting vanilla-infused samples, and explore how vanilla is also used to scent many of the body products we use.
Go on a scavenger hunt to find the recipe and ingredients that make the best vanilla bean sugar cookies that chefs of all ages will enjoy making at home!
Savor a mini vanilla ice cream sundae to the sounds of music while the little sprouts romp and enjoy hands-on vanilla-inspired activities.
About the Presenters from Bauni
Learn about the fascinating process of growing and producing vanilla from the experts at Bauni, and watch their demonstration on how to make your own vanilla extract at home.
Luiz Camargo is a vanilla specialist, entrepreneur, and consultant with over a decade of experience in the global vanilla sector. He works across the entire value chain from cultivation, nurseries, and sustainable production systems to quality control, product development, branding, and international trade.
With hands-on experience in countries such as Brazil, Ecuador, Costa Rica, the United States, São Tomé and Príncipe, Uganda, Tanzania, and Comoros, Luiz collaborates closely with farmers, Indigenous and traditional communities, governments, universities, chefs, and private companies to build ethical, traceable, and high-quality vanilla projects.
He has served as a consultant for the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, United Nations programs, and social development initiatives, and currently advises companies and institutions on vanilla production, innovation, market positioning, and long-term sustainability. Luiz is also the founder of Bauni, a brand dedicated to connecting origin, culture, and excellence in natural vanilla.
Anne Jordan Reynolds has more than twenty years of experience establishing vanilla as a high-value crop in an emerging region. Her work is rooted in a commitment to economic justice for farmers and long-term agricultural resilience.
While researching the chronic economic instability faced by Haitian farmers-many of whom endured repeated political coups and devastating losses in farm revenue-Anne sought viable, lucrative crops capable of lifting farming communities out of poverty. This led her to vanilla which was not in Haiti when she started.
Anne collaborated with a local cooperative of 659 cocoa farmers, providing training, plant distribution, and technical support to formally integrate vanilla into Haiti’s agricultural economy. Through this work, vanilla became a new, sustainable income stream for farmers and a formally recognized crop within the country.
Anne is a founding partner in Bauni US.
Stephanie Reynolds played a pivotal role in establishing vanilla as a viable agricultural crop in Haiti, bringing together academic expertise, cultural understanding, and hands-on innovation. Her graduate studies in African American Studies and Latin American/Caribbean Studies at Tulane University, a background that uniquely equipped her to navigate Haiti’s cultural and historical landscape and the complexity of introducing a new crop within traditional farming systems.
Stephanie understood that successful vanilla cultivation in Haiti required working within the kreyol garden method, where farmers traditionally grow multiple crops together and cultivate vanilla on existing cocoa trees. By honoring this intercropping system rather than replacing it, she helped ensure farmer adoption, sustainability, and long-term success.
Through her work, Stephanie Reynolds helped integrate vanilla in the country. Her contributions bridged culture, agriculture, and enterprise-strengthening rural livelihoods and laying the foundation for a more resilient and locally driven agricultural sector. Stephanie is a founding partner in Bauni US
About Bauni US
Bauni US is a premier vanilla bean company built on direct relationships, transparency, and exceptional flavor. We work hand in hand with the vanilla growers forming long-term partnerships that honor their expertise. By sourcing directly, we ensure the highest quality vanilla beans at every step-from vine to finished product.
Unlike the vast majority of vanilla companies that rely almost exclusively on Madagascar planifolia vanilla beans, Bauni sources vanilla from many countries around the globe. Each origin brings its own terroir, climate, and curing traditions, resulting in a range of vanilla profiles that are distinctively Bauni-layered, nuanced, and full of character.
Chefs and pastry professionals consistently tell us that having access to multiple vanilla varieties transforms their work. The ability to choose different flavor notes-floral, fruity, creamy, or bold-allows them to elevate pastries, desserts, and ice creams, expanding creativity and depth in every recipe.
Bauni US, vanilla is more than an ingredient. It is a story of people, place, and flavor-crafted with integrity and designed to inspire exceptional culinary experiences.
About the Chefs
Crystal Leach spent almost 20 years in the corporate world, and then realized that what was once a weekend pursuit and avocation had become increasingly important to her – so she decided to take the leap and focus on her passion for baking and pastry. In 2013, she completed an intensive pastry arts course at L’Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Pâtisserie near Lyon, France and an internship in Paris. Crystal is now a frequent chef-instructor at Atlanta’s Cooks Warehouse, the Atlanta Botanical Garden, John C Campbell Folk School and other cooking schools in the region. Passionate about expanding access to fresh, local food, she actively supports nonprofit organizations such as the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia, Georgia Organics, the Athens Farmers Market, and Wholesome Wave. Learn more at www.thesweetlifega.com.
Chef Jessica Champagne’s passion for the culinary arts began at an early age, having been raised by chef parents and spending much of her time with her siblings in and out of restaurant kitchens. Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Jessica graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in 2012. She took her talents to the Four Seasons Atlanta, rising to become the Pastry Chef de Partie, and then went on to serve as the Executive Pastry Chef at Druid Hills Golf Club. As Executive Pastry Chef at Canoe, Jessica incorporates her passion for chocolate confections and affinity for decadent desserts with creations like a re-imaged smoky s’mores and the bruleed brie, pretzel crumble, strawberry mousse, brie cream and strawberry/basil gel treat.
Lindsey Davis is the pastry chef at the one-MICHELIN-star, James Beard-nominated Lazy Betty, a renowned modern and inventive tasting menu restaurant in Atlanta from Chef-Partners Ron Hsu and Aaron Phillips. She runs the restaurant’s dessert program and oversees production of bread, petit fours, a take-home item – currently a coffee cake.
Originally from New Orleans, Lindsey found inspiration in the culinary traditions of her hometown, which inspired her to earn degrees in Baking & Pastry Arts and Foodservice Entrepreneurship at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island.
Over the last 14 years, Lindsey has spent her career working across various cities along the East Coast. She has worked in fine hotels, including Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, Atlas at St. Regis Atlanta and The Whitley Luxury Collection. She has also spent time working at a bakery, candy store and chocolate shop.
Most recently, she spent the last year in Charleston serving as executive pastry chef at the Kiawah Island Club Cassique Clubhouse. Just prior, she served as opening executive pastry chef at the Kimpton Shane Hotel, developing their whole pastry program.