Notes from the Chocolatier’s Kitchen – It’s Our 5th Anniversary!

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My first batch of truffles; I’ve come a long way!

 

On October 3, 2008 – five years ago today –  we launched Delysia Chocolatier. It seems like it was just yesterday. I knew nothing about running a business and absolutely nothing about chocolate – I can’t even eat chocolate for health reasons! But there I was, pregnant and in the kitchen making truffles as last-minute holiday gifts. Much to my surprise, my friends and family loved them!

Making chocolate was my ultimate stress-reliever, my creative way of unwinding from my busy engineering career. I found myself in the kitchen more and more. I began to feel a passion for making chocolate that I just couldn’t ignore.

I am a planner. I write lists and more lists. My desk is covered with little post-it notes with reminders and goals. Starting a chocolate company was not on my list of goals I outlined when I earned my undergrad in engineering from Texas A&M. It didn’t creep on the list when I received my graduate degree, got married, or found out I was pregnant with our first child. I was once told by my graduate professor that he could see me being a CEO one day – do you think he envisioned it being of a chocolate company?

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One of my first events at Becker Vineyards

But sometimes things just happen. And this planner has, over the years, learned to go with the flow. I had a very modest plan for Delysia: a wedding or event a month, just something to give us some extra spending money or put away in a ‘rainy day’ fund. A trip to the Texas Hill County and a stop at Becker Vineyards changed that plan when I was asked to create truffles using their wines. Our first delivery to Becker Vineyards was five years ago on October 3rd – the first time Texas wines were used to create chocolate truffles. And it sent Delysia Chocolatier down a path this engineer, with all of my plans and lists, could never have imagined.

Our Five-Year Anniversary could not have happened if it wasn’t for the support of our customers, partners, and friends. I am forever grateful for all of you. As I look towards the future of Delysia Chocolatier, I have lots of exciting things on the horizon. I cannot wait to share these memorable moments with each of you. Thank you for these last five years and I hope you enjoy the next five – and beyond – with us.

 

Nicole Patel

Nicole Patel is the proprietor of and chocolatier for Delysia Chocolatier. In 2006 while pregnant with her first son, Nicole made a batch of chocolate truffles as holiday gifts. To the delight of friends and family, she continued to create chocolates as a way to relieve stress from her corporate engineering job. In 2008, a chance trip to Becker Vineyards led to Nicole being the first in Texas to make truffles using local wines. Within five years, what started as a hobby turned Delysia into one of the Top Ten Chocolatiers in the Americas, as selected by the International Chocolate Salon.