I am often asked how I made the leap from physician to chocolatier.  

I inherited my intense love for chocolate from my mother, who kept our “candy cupboard” fully stocked when I was young and allowed us to indulge in Reese’s peanut butter cups, Snickers bars, and Kit Kats every Saturday night. My high school trademark was a uniform pocket colorfully stained with M&Ms.

My inspiration to make chocolates dates back to medical school when a classmate gave me Maida Heatter’s Book of Great Chocolate Desserts.  I was immediately enticed by the spectacular appearance of the chocolate cakes, pies, and cookies on the cover of the book. In the attempt to reproduce Maida’s beautiful desserts, I practiced my baking skills relentlessly in my free time as a diversion from the rigors of studying. As I acquired more and more pastry books and candy recipes, I began to focus on making truffles and experimenting with different flavors and techniques.

After my medical training I went on to become well-established in the field of OB/GYN. In 1996, I made the difficult decision to retire from clinical practice when my third child was born.  During the ensuing years at home with my children, I underwent a series of major surgeries that required long recuperations. I chose to use these lengthy recovery periods to further cultivate my passion! My intrigue with chocolate, along with my innate intellectual curiosity and scientific background, motivated me to educate myself on every aspect of chocolate: its chemistry, history, and the fascinating transformation of the raw cacao bean into the artisan chocolate.

My zeal for creating fine chocolates exploded into a change of career and I founded Chocolate Suites after graduating with Honors from the Professional Chocolatier program at L’Ecole Chocolat, Professional School of Chocolate Arts. Though I have made the unlikely transition from medicine to the chocolate arts, I continually draw from my medical foundation. My experience as a physician has provided me with essential tools common to both professions:  dedication to excellence, attention to detail, and the constant search for innovation.

I chose a musical theme for Chocolate Suites in memory of my mother whose love of music paralleled her love of chocolate. Indulging in an artisan chocolate is not unlike listening to a beautiful piece of music. Upon the interweaving of the lyrics of music, the whimsical flavors of the ganache centers, and the complex notes of chocolate, each confection becomes a symphonic masterpiece of taste and song that keeps the tastebuds longing for an encore.