Everyone loves chocolate
Next week, chocolatier Julian Helman is flying to France to learn even more about making the world’s most loved confectionery.
“I’m constantly doing courses and updating,” said the 36-year-old owner of Kelowna-based Karat Chocolate.
“And what better place to do it than Hermitage, France, the home of Valrhona, the maker of the best chocolate in the world.”
Helman also happens to have been using Valrhona chocolate in his creations for years, first as pastry chef at Quails’ Gate Winery in West Kelowna and now with his own company.
Valrhona’s home town of Hermitage is also in the Rhone wine-making region and the company has learned a thing or two about pairing chocolate with wine.
Such expertise has come in handy as Helman crafts chocolates to sell at wineries, chocolate that incorporates wine-grape ingredients and chocolate to pair with wine.
“The old-school rule is your chocolate should be less sweet than the wine, which means a chocolate that’s 70 per cent cacao with a big red wine,” said Helman.
“But we also make The Terroir chocolate bar, which is infused with dried crush (the pulp left after grapes are crushed for wine) and is literally like eating wine in a chocolate bar. Plus, many of our 50 retailers are wineries.”
In fact, the list of wineries that sell Karat boxed chocolates and chocolate bars is extensive, from Arrowleaf, Ex Nihilo, Intrigue and 50th Parallel in Lake Country to Sandhill and Tantalus in Kelowna, Therapy in Naramata and Quails’ Gate in West Kelowna.
Other retailers include Arlo’s Honey Farm, which also supplies honey for Karat’s popular salted caramel and wildflower honey chocolates, Olive & Elle in Kelowna and Public Liquor.
Karat now also has a small shop at its commercial kitchen on High Road beside Canoe Coffee Roasters. “We had to,” said Helman. “Because when we didn’t have a store there, people were dropping by anyway and banging on the door to buy chocolate.”
Having Canoe Coffee Roasters next door has also led to easily inspired collaboration.
The Canoe espresso and brown sugar chocolate is a hit.
So are the chocolates made with peanut butter and jelly, Earl Grey tea and lavender, strawberry and red pepper, cilantro and Japanese fruit, blackcurrant, cherry and apricot.
Individual chocolates sell in boxes of 12, six, four and two, with a dozen going for $20.
“I think that’s an amazing prices for chocolate like nothing else in the city,” said Helman.
“When I started out three years ago, I was underselling them for $15 a box.”
The chocolate bars are $8 and the half-bars $5.
There’s also a healthy wholesale business supplying caterers, weddings and other stores and wineries.
Despite the success, and the upcoming trip to France, Helman doesn’t know if he’d do it all over again. “Ugh, I don’t know,” he said. “When I was launching Karat, I was working as a pastry chef 14 hours a day and then spending four or five more hours each day on Karat. It was a ton of work. I’m glad it all worked out.”
While Valrhona chocolate from France has been integral to Helman’s career and business, he has branched out to making his own chocolate from scratch.
He also buys fair-trade fermented cacao beans directly from farmers in Peru, Equador, Brazil and Ghana and cracks,
Every week in this space with Top Forty Under 40, we profile a businessperson under the age of 40 who is finding success in their career and making a difference.
The series is presented by BDO Accountants and Consultants, Kelowna Chamber of Commerce and The Daily Courier. Nominations are now closed. Honourees will continue to be featured though June 6.
A wrap-up event recognizing all 40 nominees will be held June 13.