Jacques Torres Chocolate - Midtown West

Jacques Torres situated in Midtown West NYC, affectionately dubbed Mr Chocolate, has earned this distinction with his in-depth knowledge of the product born of years of learning and practical experience. After serving a 3-year apprenticeship in his native France, Torres worked at a 2 Michelin star establishment for 8 years and was the youngest pastry chef to be awarded the Meilleur Ouvrier de France distinction. He crossed the pond and began a fruitful career in top US hotels including the Ritz Carlton, and then Le Cirque, where he served the great and the good, including kings, presidents and celebrities. He has also turned his hand to a TV cookery series and cookery books. He has received numerous professional accolades, including James Beard pastry chef of the year in 1994. He likes to give back by taking in young aspiring student pastry chefs and contributing to developing training programs for students. He was the first artisan chocolatier to make his own chocolate directly from beans and set up the first of his factories in 2000. This was followed by a second factory and flagship store on 2004. He now has 9 retail outlets, two ice-cream stores and a major manufacturing space in Brooklyn. He is married to a fellow professional chocolatier whose Beverly Hills boutique known – as one might expect – by the name of Madame Chocolat. You'll never forget it!