I am often asked, ‘Why did you become a chocolatier?’ or ‘Where did you study?’ Most people assume I attended Culinary School, studying to be a pastry chef and chocolatier. Quite the opposite. Here’s my story…

Delysia Chocolatier was launched in late 2008, but our first truffles were created in December 2006 when I was eight months pregnant with my first child, Sébastien. Exhausted and too tired for holiday shopping, I made truffles as gifts for our family and friends. (Sébastien was born a few days later, four weeks early.)

My first truffle flavors were hazelnut, peanut butter, and mint. I simply modified a recipe I saw on the Food Network, adding a little of this and a pinch of that. Much to my surprise, they were delicious! I found myself making them for every holiday, birthday party, and potluck dinner. Friends continuously asked for my truffles, delighted when we would arrive with a plate of these chocolate delights.

Over the next few years, I found myself making truffles quite often, sometimes once a month. I found it relaxing – a way to take my mind off of my stressful engineering career. (See, I’m not a trained chocolatier, but an Industrial Engineer with a background in statistics and business process improvement.) With my loving husband’s encouragement, we slowly created a business, making our first delivery on October 3, 2008.

In April 2009, when I was four month pregnant with my second child, Colin, I was laid off from my full time engineering job. I was devastated. I loved my job. But life had determined a different path for me. I needed to focus on what was important – our family and my ‘dream’ to grow my chocolate business. In May 2009, Delysia Chocolatier became a full time venture.