Anne Thornton, the host of Food Network's Dessert First with Anne Thornton, didn't realize food was her calling until later in life. She chose to pursue degrees in finance and philosophy, then landed a job with Apple Computers first. Despite her impressive gig in Chicago, she eventually left it for New York's Institute of Culinary Education, landing a job in culinary production. More
Gail Ambrosius seems to have it all figured out. She turned a tough situation (getting laid off after ten years at the same job) into a glorious opportunity by doing what so many of us chocolate geeks long to do: head to Paris and study under the masters. With technique and experience under her belt, she launched Gail Ambrosius Chocolates in Madison, Wisconsin, in 2004 and has since been garnering praise for her wide range of offerings and unusual bonbon flavors—shiitake mushroom truffle, anyone? More
Elizabeth Hodes makes some of the most amazing wedding cakes coming out of New York; often times they feature what she refers to as "sugar sculptures," incredibly precise and life-like works of pulled sugar. With no formal training, Hodes thinks of herself more as an artist than a pastry chef. More
How did Jeff get into chocolate? He accidentally bought some unfermented, washed cocoa beans at a farmers' market in Belize thinking they were almonds. More
From a humble start in a home kitchen, Porto's Cuban Bakery has become a beloved Los Angeles institution. I spoke with Betty Porto about her mother's hard work, what it was like to grow up in the bakery, and what makes Porto's truly special. More
Michael Laiskonis is consistently rated as one of the top pastry chefs in the country for his work at the three-Michelin-star-rated Le Bernardin. He also happens to be an incredibly nice guy, and generously took some time out of his insane schedule to answer some of my questions . More
I first met Christopher Michael at the 2008 Chocolate Show. His chocolates were gorgeous, of course; and his parents were there helping run the booth, which I loved—but what really caught my eye was the fact that he was based in Newport Beach. "Newport Beach?" I thought. "But...there are no chocolatiers in Orange County...?" Well, Chris changed that. Bringing a finely tuned chef's palate, artistic sensibility, and a touch of humor to his bonbons, he now has a storefront in Costa Mesa, California (my hometown), and is starting to change the tide. I chatted with him about his chocolate experimentation—rendered duck fat caramel, anyone? More
[Flickr: El Gran Dee] Ann Czaja [Photograph: lindtusa.com] We recently asked Lindt Master Chocolatier Ann Czaja some basic chocolate questions, like what tasty pairings she recommends and of course, how she got her amazing job. But this time around,... More
Ann Czaja [Photograph: lindtusa.com] Chocolatier is on most people's fantasy career list, right up there with pillow tester and ice cream flavor developer. We're happy that Lindt is sponsoring Serious Chocolate this month, and enjoyed the chance to chat... More
