The difference between a chocolatier and a chocolate maker is that the former makes confectioneries from chocolate while the latter turn up creations of chocolate from different ingredients including cocoa beans. It may sound romantic but there is a lot of hard work involved. In order to start out as a chocolatier, it is necessary to start work as a pastry or confectionery chef.
There are many culinary schools such as the Chocolate Academy, Ecole Chocolate School in Canada and the French Culinary Institute. Taste as well as art is involved when creating handcrafted pieces of chocolate.
1. Points to consider
If you plan to start your own business you should decide on owning your own space, the type of chocolates you wish to sell and the ingredients that you will use to come up with your special brand of chocolate. If you cannot afford to set up a shop then you should rely on word-of-mouth to see your chocolates in your neighborhood. Make sure to be consistent in your quality and you will find that your business will grow and you will be acclaimed as a chocolatier.
2. Know your strengths
Being a chocolatier is not easy as you require being cool under pressure and having an eye for detail. Crafting is rigorous work and requires tremendous skill. One day courses are available online though you would benefit if you joined a culinary school for more intensive education.
3. Learn how to handle pressure and adapt
It requires a certain kind of mental pressure and physical strength to be a chocolatier. The busiest season is from October to mid May as Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Halloween, Mother’s Day and Easter fall during these months. If you have flair for creativity and have aesthetic tastes you could try to volunteer and work with a manufacturer of chocolates or get culinary training.
4. Hold classes and experiment
Try to develop your skills by practicing every chance you get. Learn to pipe, brush and temper and melt chocolate when you are learning the intricacies of running a business. Once you experiment you should be able to decide on the type of chocolates you need to specialize in and plan the type of business you would like to start.
5. Be inspired and turn out unusual combinations
Try out different designs when you make candies and display your creation attractively. You have to be able to stand for long hours of time when you are working. You can work as an apprentice or take up vocational programs. In order to complete the training program you should complete an associate’s degree program in pastry arts and baking. You learn techniques used by pastry chefs that include units of measurement, scaling and conversions along with blending, creaming and cutting of ingredients.
6. Experiments with different types of ingredients and combinations
Try out various combinations using classic flavors or experiment with new flavors. You can try to mix lemongrass or chili with chocolate or introduce some rosemary with orange or hazelnut with chocolate. Try airbrushing chocolates with different colors and dust them with edible powders. Try out different molds and try to turn out different types of truffles and bars. The choice is yours and if you come up with a unique combination that pleases your customers, you will have a hard time trying to cope with the orders.
7. Dealing with competition
Completing an internship will help you cope with the drill of working several hours and mastering techniques by watching the experienced chocolatiers at work. It is not easy to please the public as their tastes shift constantly. Learn some marketing techniques and be physically and mentally strong to handle the public.
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