Today we’d like to introduce you to Sheena George.
Hi Sheena, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I didn’t go to culinary school. I didn’t have a business plan or a roadmap. I just really loved baking—and feeding people—and I had this deep curiosity to make things from scratch and make them better. That curiosity took me from a tiny bakery & cafe in Northern California, where I started as a barista & worked my way up to head baker, all the way to the mountains of Nicaragua, where we opened our first ice cream shop, Kiss Me, in the town of Matagalpa.
We started with one machine, a little storefront, and a dream. And somehow, we sold out in a day and a half. That first rush turned into something bigger than we ever imagined—we built a production kitchen from the ground up on a dairy farm in the jungle, added more machines, and eventually expanded to six Kiss Me locations across the country. We built a real fanbase there. Our signature flavors became well-known and loved throughout Nicaragua, and the company we built still exists and is operating today.
Because ingredients were so limited and expensive to import, we ended up making everything ourselves—from coconut milk to shredded coconut, fresh tropical fruit sorbets, and ice cream literally starting with the milk from the cows on our farm. That whole chapter taught me what it really means to build flavor from the ground up.
When we moved back to the U.S. with our kids, we landed in Austin. It was 2020, and we opened our new shop, Bésame, as a nod to our beginnings. Starting again at Meanwhile Brewing with a walk-up window, we found ourselves surrounded by a whole new world of ingredients and possibilities. In Austin, I suddenly had access to amazing dairy, spices, chocolates, produce—everything I’d dreamed of using over the years. I got to take everything I had learned and build on it, and the ice cream only got better.
Since then, I’ve become even more obsessed with creating flavors that hit people emotionally. I want every bite to feel like a memory—comforting, nostalgic, joyful—but also like nothing you’ve ever had before. I love playing with texture, with salty-sweet-umami balance, with surprise. My goal is always to make your mouth think a little and feel a lot.
That desire to keep exploring and sharing new ideas is what led to our weekly pre-sale limited edition pint drops. Every Thursday night, I get to share two brand-new creations with a super loyal crowd that shows up week after week, ready to be surprised. It’s where I experiment, dig into memory, tell stories through flavor. It’s honestly one of my favorite parts of the job.
When I first started this company, I struggled hard with imposter syndrome. I wasn’t classically trained. I didn’t have years and years of kitchen experience under fancy chefs. I just had a deep love of pastry, a lot of grit, and a strong vision for what dessert could be. For a long time, I felt like I had to prove I belonged in the room. But since moving to Austin and building Bésame from the ground up—again—I can see now that I’ve truly found my lane. I’ve become an expert in this industry. And not just as a pastry chef, but specifically in ice cream. I don’t just make flavors—I compose desserts in a single scoop. I’m constantly thinking about balance, texture, story, and surprise. That’s my craft. And that’s where I shine.
Now in 2025, we’re opening our second location at Littlefield’s in Tarrytown, and we’re expanding into coffee and pastries—coming full circle, back to my baking roots. We’ve got more on the horizon, more locations coming, and more stories to tell.
But the heart of it hasn’t changed. I still make everything in small batches. I still test and tweak until it’s just right. And I still feel the same spark of joy when someone tries something we made and it totally lights them up.
This is my dream job. And I’m just getting started.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
When I first started this company, I struggled hard with imposter syndrome. I wasn’t classically trained. I didn’t have years and years of kitchen experience under fancy chefs. I just had a deep love of pastry, a lot of grit, and a strong vision for what dessert could be. For a long time, I felt like I had to prove I belonged in the room. But since moving to Austin and building Bésame from the ground up—again—I can see now that I’ve truly found my lane. I’ve become an expert in this industry. And not just as a pastry chef, but specifically in ice cream. I don’t just make flavors—I compose desserts in a single scoop. I’m constantly thinking about balance, texture, story, and surprise. That’s my craft. And that’s where I shine.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a mama of five, a self-taught chef, and the founder of Bésame, a deeply personal ice cream company that started in the mountains of Nicaragua and now lives and thrives in Austin, TX. My work has always been rooted in creating joy—from the early days of our shop “Kiss Me” in Matagalpa where we made everything from scratch (sometimes out of necessity), to now leading a growing team and building something truly special with our second location.
What I do is more than just ice cream. I specialize in flavor-building, texture, and storytelling. My goal is always to create something that feels nostalgic, exciting, and comforting all at once. Back in Nicaragua, we were able to create jobs and innovate in an industry that didn’t have easy access to ingredients—so we had to get creative. That creativity is still at the core of what I do.
Here in Austin, I’ve found a home in the chef community and in our Bésame customers who show up every week for our pint drops and our walk-up menu. What sets us apart is how much joy and care we put into every single thing we do—from the product to the people. We don’t just scoop ice cream; we share a little happiness, one scoop or pint at a time.
I’m known for pints that sell out in seconds, sandwiches that feel like plated desserts, and a flavor philosophy that combines nostalgia, surprise, and serious chef technique.
How do you think about happiness?
What brings me the most joy is dreaming up flavor and texture combinations—imagining how they’ll taste, how they’ll feel, and how they’ll make someone smile. There’s something really special about watching someone take one bite and suddenly be transported to a simpler, more peaceful moment in their life. That spark of joy—that’s everything to me.
I’ve always felt like when someone walks up to our shop, even if they’re only with us for a few minutes, they get to take a tiny vacation. They get to step away from the weight of the day and just feel delight. It’s my great joy and my greatest honor to create those moments for people.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Hotplate.com/besame
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/besameatx
Image Credits
Taylor Hannan @thiccboymedia
