Forum Activity for @Amy DeFiore

How to find Rental Kitchens?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

The bizkitchens is a really helpful website! I'll have to try calling the caterers too. Thanks for the tips!!

How to find Rental Kitchens?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Try http://www.bizkitchens.com/ Your state dept. of agriculture might also have suggestions.

How to find Rental Kitchens?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I tried commercial kitchen and didn't have much luck. I'll have to try kitchen incubator. Thanks!

How to find Rental Kitchens?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

This is a very basic question, but have you Googled "commercial kitchen" or "kitchen incubator"? That's how I found the one I will start using (hopefully) this year.

How to find Rental Kitchens?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I'm trying to start up a chocolate business but don't have a kitchen that I can use for commercial products yet. I am planning to start selling my product at craft shows and local flea markets versus opening a storefront right away.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to find commercial kitchens to rent?


updated by @Amy DeFiore: 04/11/25 09:27:36

The Business of Chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thanks, Jeff! Back at ya!

The Business of Chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Casey,

Thanks for adding your thoughts. I live in Belgium and having the flexibility of working on the course without having to worry about time differences, etc. is a real plus. I'm also looking at taking a chocolate course or two here offered by Callebaut. I just figured I should know as much as possible before I start at Callebaut. There courses are just a few days and I'd love to know enough already to ask intelligent questions.

Great idea about the E-Myth book - I've been meaning to read that book anyway.

Bon courage with your business too!

Jeff

The Business of Chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thanks Omar. Very cool about Pam's award!

The Business of Chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Susan,

Thanks so much for writing. As I said to Suzanna it's great to get different people's perspectives on the courses offered by Ecole Chocolat. Seems to me its a good place to start and then branch out from there.

Good luck with your business!

Jeff

The Business of Chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Suzanna,

Thanks for sharing your perspective. It's always good to have different points of view about things like this. I hope you found a course that you like better.

Thanks for writing!

Jeff

The Business of Chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

jeff,

i agree with brad's points re: labor and ingredient costs. i also agree that purchasing equipment can be a huge labor-saver, though the equipment itself is not cheap. yet when you consider that you don't have to pay payroll taxes, the machine can't call in sick (though it can have mechanical issues...), and you can operate the machine at any hour of the day, time-saving equipment like an enrober can reap you big benefits.

i also agree with the other posters whose ecole chocolat experience was a positive one. i was a mid-life career changer with a 2-yr-old and pregnant w/ my 2nd child at the time of taking the ecole course. there was no way i could have accumulated that kind of information on my own given my life circumstances. the ability to practice/test recipes at whatever hour of the day my life afforded, plus not having to do the research on my own, were real advantages to me. i'd already obtained a pastry certification but wanted to delve further into chocolate. and the graduate forum has been a great source of inspiration and advice, much the way this forum has. the camaraderie and support from that group has been so helpful.

one last suggestion is consider reading "the E myth" (the E standing for entrepreneur), as you develop the plan for your business. while its conclusions aren't earth shattering, they do seem to be so often overlooked by entrepreneurs when establishing a business. i have found it to be a good reminder of those things i know i should be doing but haven't yet put into place.

best of luck to you!

casey

The Business of Chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I totally agree with susan. I loved the course myself Jeff.

By the way Pam williams was awarded the FCIA outstanding service to the industry this year

http://www.finechocolateindustry.org/excellence.php

The Business of Chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi, Jeff ~ Brad has given you some very good information to start with. It will at least give you a good idea of numbers.

I have taken the Ecole Chocolat course and am taking the current September Quality Assurance course and I have found their information wonderful to have at your fingertips. I am one of those who believe in the saying "Time is Money" and having an enormous amount of research done for you and supplied to you is incredibly helpful. Could I find that information myself? Of course. Most of us could but, I don't want to spend the time doing it when I could actually be working doing what I love. Ecole is a fantastic place to start. You will be educated as to the basics of the chocolate confectionary business and are supplied with recipes and assignments that all require your participation and research. Never underestimate how great it is to have some of the websites made available to you when you need to do research. It really is a very time intensive course but you can make it work with your schedule.

The articles are not focused on the dates but, rather, on the information provided which has saved me on many an occasion. And yes, like most courses, you will have to purchase a minimum of chocolate gear but they also supply you with discounts from providers.

Suzanne is correct in stating that you can find videos of tempering on YouTube. You can also find many more things about the chocolate world there. But, I now have a clearer idea of what I am looking for and what I want to do. I am more informed and experienced having taken the course at Ecole. In essence, I know what I don't know.

And lastly, the Forum that is comprised of Graduates, working chocolatiers, chocolate makers, large chocolate producers as well as equipment suppliers is a fantastic place to get help from your peers. We all have questions about our craft from time to time or want help "fixing" or "figuring" things. There is a huge range of experience on the Graduate Forum. It is also a wonderful place to check into when you just need a little support or need to share some good news.

I find that this network of support that has been generated by Pam Williams and Ecole Chocolate is something that fits in perfectly for those of us who are looking at career changes and can't travel to go to a brick and mortar school or can't afford it.

A phone call will get you any help you need while taking the course and thi instructors are well known, working and successful Chocolatiers.

I am so sorry that Suzanne did not like the course but, I can tell you that there are probably more of us out here who did.

Best of luck to you.

Susan

The Business of Chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Deleted at member's request. January 20, 2012.

The Business of Chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Jeff;Here are some numbers that will help you greatly with your calculations:1. Estimate that the average North American (assuming you're in North America) eats about 6lbs of chocolate per year. Multiply that by your local population, and you have rough local consumption stats.2. Average food cost in the food service industry is around 27-30% of Gross Sales. The chocolate industry is usually less - around 20% of gross sales. If you're positioning your business as an elitist in your local market, you can go as low as 15% of gross sales.3. Average labour cost in the food industry is 35-40% (yup, very high). Make sure to calculate your time into your labor costs. Too many business owners fail to do this, and create skewed financials. Remember: If you weren't going to do the job of running your business, you'd have to pay someone else to do it, so make sure to pay yourself. Also note that labour costs drop drastically with the introduction of automated equipment for certain tasks, but those costs are offset by the investment in the equipment, paired with amortized depreciation costs on that equipment (provided it's new).These numbers aren't written in stone, but are very good benchmarks to use when putting together your pro-forma financials.Also don't forget to account for such things as business licenses, business taxes, employee remittances, development permits, food safety training for staff, and utensils that one always seems to acquire over time.Remember: The Devil's in the details!Cheers;Brad Churchill www.SoChoklat.com

The Business of Chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thanks Dirke....I appreciate your responses!

The Business of Chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

you may want to join the " startup central group " here on chocolate life Lots of people running chocolate business in the group, you should post your question there.

The Business of Chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I just finished the Ecole program, excellent course for learning how to make chocolate, history, technique and business. Not a lot on the business side but a little, still worth every penny. Your second question would probably entail writing a business plans as every business and idea of a business is different. You need to research your area and see, you will do that through Ecole. you may get a rough idea and answer to your questions after taking the course.There are loads of books on the chocolate business, check out Amazon.Good luck

The Business of Chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi Everyone,
updated by @Jeff Slaughter: 04/11/25 09:27:36

Q-Grader for Chocolate

Posted in: Chocolate Education

Roasting is an art for sure. When I get beans I usually do a few small batches and go with the best roast. Blending is another art I hope to have some fun with.

Q-Grader for Chocolate

Posted in: Chocolate Education

I was reading an article recently about some coffee roaster who had just gotten his Q-Grader qualification. This appears to be an independent course / test that establishes how good your coffee palate is. Is there such a thing for chocolate? Would such a thing be useful now that there are now many small bean to bar chocolate operations, not to forget the large number of home brew chocolate makers? Would consumers be impressed if the roaster of their favorite bean to bar manufacturer had such a qualification? Would it make hiring a chocolate roaster easier if they had such a qualification assuming of course the industry becomes big enough for this sort of thing? Would it be useful for cocoa brokers to have such a qualification, so companies could feel more confident in purchasing beans? How would such a test be evaluated, single origin bars, well there are certainly enough bars from the same origin from different manufacturers. Would the test involve tasting the roasted bean or making a micro batch of liquor for evaluation as a drink or directly?

Anyway it is food for thought and I was just thinking out aloud above.

updated by @Tom: 04/23/15 08:52:54

molding

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thank you !

molding

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

To have a larger spot you'll need less contraction of the finished piece. Less contraction means having more cocoa butter crystals and less fluid cocoa butter in the tempered chocolate prior to molding. You can push this pretty far, but you may need to increase the rate at which the pieces are cooled, or, due to the additional stable crystals, solidification may happen so quickly that the latent heat of crystallization that is released will not be able to be effectively removed, and you could end up with temper issues.In simple terms, create a "more tempered" chocolate prior to molding. It will me more viscous or "thicker." See how that works for you. Just be sure to have efficient cooling.

molding

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I'm using a 50 mm round disc mold, 12 cellsand depositing with a syringe from a Rev 2. It starts pulling away from the outside and movestowards the center. It leaves a spot, quite nice looking,in the center when I unmold them. I'd like to make that spot bigger.Any ideas would be much appreciated.

updated by @dale montondo: 04/11/25 09:27:36

Chocolate Thermometers

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I'm also an advocat of the infrared thermometer! After fiddling with a slow probe thermometer for a couple months i got so frustrated that infrared was the only way to go! I purchased a Fluke Mini 62 for just under 90$cnd on eBay it was some of the best money I've spent so far!

Chocolate Thermometers

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I have learned that tempering is not proper term. the right term would be pre-crystallisation, because the stable beeta crystals what we need to have in our chocolate, don't form and line up correctly because of temperature. temperature is not the guarantee of good crystallisation. that is why you don't need to have or watch the thermometer constantly and worry about it. I bet all of you have been in the situation where you have done 'everything right' but the result is not what you wanted. the substance that makes those crystals is cocoa butter and if you just let it cool down on the table or pot, it will be still liquid but when you give it a movement, then it starts to crystallise. there is 3 main things for the proper pre-crystallisation, Time, Temperature, Movement...TTM. that is why the marble is used when doing the pre-crystallisation by hand. it is essential that in short Time you need to lower the Temperature of chocolate while constantly giving the Movement, because this is what gives and lines up the right crystals to the chocolate and when chocolate sample on your knife hardens in 3-5 minutes and has nice sheen, then it is ready. when not enough crystals it will not harden and when too much crystals it will have no sheen. so actually it is not a woo-doo and is more than easy to do pre-crystallisation without any thermometers, when you know and stick to the basic facts. thermometers with the big 'theory' about 'tempering' often just confuses people. try it...it's simple! good luck!

Chocolate Thermometers

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Steve -

Thanks for following up and letting know everyone how things are going. Glad to know that the community was able to help you out.

:: Clay

Chocolate Thermometers

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I know that this thread is a year old, but what a difference a year makes! I took your advice and purchased a quaity glass thermometer. I monitored the temperature faithfully. The bunnies came out fantastic! Each and every one of them!

Thanks for the tip, well worth the advice!

Chocolate Thermometers

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

When I first started learning to temper, I bought one of the glass chocolate thermometers, and it helped me greatly. Other people were using a regular metal thermometer, and I could never catch it before it got to hot. With the one specifically made for chocolate, I could see exactly where the temperature was, and wouldn't over heat it. I had to temper 30# at a time back then, and and it made a huge difference. Never used the infrared. I just use my machine now

Chocolate Thermometers

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thanks for all of the quick replies! I guess I get to go shopping....electronically speaking, that is.

Chocolate Thermometers

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Infrared here too. Stir, stir stir.

Chocolate Thermometers

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Yup, infrared for me too. I've got a couple of Coopers - some bigger ones and some little ones without the laser. They all work well.Barring that I use a Pyrex brand digital probe thermometer like this one. http://www.amazon.com/Pyrex-16484-Digital-Probe-Thermometer/dp/B0002MH0R2/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1270515232&sr=1-5

Chocolate Thermometers

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Ok, my tempering skills are not sharp. They are getting better but not there yet. I bought one of those paddle type of thermometers, but I am not happy with it. Is there any thermometer that is better than others? Digital over glass? Glass over digital? Brand or generic?

As Vinny Barbarino would say... I am sooooo confused!

Thank,

Steve K.

updated by @Steve Kurz: 04/11/25 09:27:36

April Fool's Day Chocolate "Treats"

Posted in: Opinion

Hi Clay,I'm glad you enjoyed it. It's good to laugh at ourselves every once in a while too! I would send you a test sample of the chocolate to try for yourself, but it expired on April 1.

April Fool's Day Chocolate "Treats"

Posted in: Opinion

Chocolate Life member Walter Plante posted a link to a blog (kokobuzz) about Free Range Chocolate from/by New Leaf .

Free Range chocolate? Hmmmmm. April 1st? Double hmmmm . I went to the site to take a look for myself. There I read:

In order to be certified as Free Range, growers are not allowed to cut cacao pods from the trees since cutting can result in scaring and discomfort for the trees. Instead the pods must fall naturally and only when they are ready. According to Chuck (no last name), a 27th generation cacao farmer from Madagascar: It takes tremendous patience to wait for the pods to drop from the trees so that we can collect them. Sometimes there is a little bit of bruising on the outside of the pods, but it doesnt affect the cacao beans inside that much really.

I won't reveal a spoiler ... but I do recommend linking over to the site and reading the post, it's a lot of fun (hint: take a look at the acronyms for the "free range" certification agencies).
updated by @Clay Gordon: 04/19/15 20:12:19

Graphic for Business

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Danielle.Great. Send the file to andre (dot) terrabrasilis (at) gmail (dot) comI will work on it for you.Take care!Andre

Graphic for Business

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Andre- Thanks for the offer. It is a paint option, but I can save as a JPEG or GIF (nice thing about paint). That should allow you to change it to an illustrator file. I know a bit about graphic conversion (had to do it over the years), and know that this is possible. I appreciate any help you can give me.Danielle

Graphic for Business

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Danielle,I am not a graphic designer, but I do have Photoshop and Illustrator. If this is a straight forward conversion, send me the file (if you feel comfortable, of course) and I can do it for you.Now, you mentioned you created the file on Paint?? Is this correct? I am not sure whether this type of file is importable into Illustrator, but I am willing to give it a try.PM me!

Graphic for Business

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

What program did you create the graphic in? If it's Photoshop I think you can get the outline(s) of the shapes, turn them into paths, and then export to EPS.Otherwise, I would look into the graphic arts department of a local community college. There is probably someone there who could do the conversion for you for a reasonable price.

Graphic for Business

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I created my own graphic for my business, but need to find a graphic artist that can convert it from a paint file to a illustraor file in order to send it to companies for printing on ribbons/t-shirts/labels. I would prefer not to buy a full version of illustrator...any ideas?
updated by @Danielle: 04/11/25 09:27:36

the broma process ebook for downloading

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

PLEASE DO NOT pay and download these files. The second one leads me to believe that even though they include the word Broma in the title, they are about computing, not about cacao.

the broma process ebook for downloading

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

hello members of chocolatelife,Am back again, sorry to take some of your time. Am really having a hard time with my broma process project. AS part of my search online, i came across some sites that one can download e books on broma process.here are some of the sites: http://bombbook.filegranted.com/1/search.php?q=broma+process&afid=9 http://expertload.com/?mod=search&q=broma+process i tried downloading, but i have to pay first. My problem is that am in Ghana, and we don't use such credit cards here, so i would to plead with you to help find people who out of their own free will would like to download the ebook(s) and send it to me, i don't need their credit cards (for security reasons), i only need the ebooks, my email address is captainken1@ymail.comthanks in advance for your co-operationchocolate life memberKenneth Mensah
updated by @kenneth mensah: 04/11/25 09:27:36