Our recent foray into hands-on classes has led to some revelations—and a lot of fun! The truffle-making class has been particularly heartwarming. The "golden ticket" level of excitement participants bring has carried over to our kitchen and even changed how we see ourselves.

The Giddy First Steps

There’s a phenomenon that occurs early on. New classmates greet each other, sharing stories about how they found us or what brought them here. Then, Chef Bill brings everyone into the kitchen, and a hush falls over the group. A natural huddle forms, reminiscent of a first-year school session. The nervousness is almost palpable. We often forget how daunting this all must look.

Chef gives a quick chocolate syllabus on what’s about to happen. With a smile, he usually says something like:

“This is the last I’m going to stand and talk—now it’s all about being hands-on.”

That’s when the excitement kicks in. Smiles break out, and like kids in a candy shop, they’re ready to dive into all the joys (and toys) around them.

Passion & Joy are Rewarding & Rejuvenating

We create thousands of truffles weekly at The Secret Chocolatier. When you do something in that quantity, it’s easy to lose the sense of magic. But seeing others enter our world like wide-eyed children and leave with so much joy reignites our own passion. As chefs, we’ve found unexpected excitement in teaching others. After each class, our kitchen feels re-energized by what we do.

“Teaching these classes helps me interact with customers in my comfort zone. In the kitchen, I don’t always get to meet people and answer their questions about what I’m making, so this class helps me understand our customers and teach them about what I do every day.” – Chef Abby

Every Class is Different

The most exciting part is that every class is a new (truffle) ball game. Each participant brings a unique perspective, skill level, and reason for being there. Some ask tons of questions and want to explore every detail, while others just want to get messy and eat chocolate! We get to see our world of chocolate through fresh eyes each time. The one constant? Everyone leaves happy, and that makes us happy too.