Hello, my name is Jenni, and I am a freelance illustrator and graphic designer. I graduated last year with a degree in Studio Art, however I've been working with chocolate since I was in middle school (truffles, filled chocolates, caramels, cordials, seed tempering). 

After graduation, I got myself a Premier Wonder Grinder and followed the advice of John over on Chocolate Alchemy and have been a long time lurker on The Chocolate Life. I started making chocolate bars because I had lost interest in making other chocolate confections and wanted experiment making my own chocolate from scratch, where I could control just how sweet the chocolate I eat could be. Since August, I started a small cottage food business (working title "Honmeid") and have been selling my own formulation bars to friends and family. So far, it's been a success!

I will be leaving West Palm Beach, Florida and moving to Seattle in order to start a life somewhere new and different at the end of January. Currently, I'm looking for a job in the chocolate or confectionary industry so I can learn more about chocolate making up close. I'd love to hear any advice you have to offer, especially anything job-related!

Hello @honmeid,

Welcome to Seattle (when you arrive, that is)!  I don't know of any jobs, but here's a list of bean-to-bar companies in the Seattle area:

http://flavorsofcacao.com/

Of course, you have likely already heard of chocolatiers like Fran's.  I'm not as familiar with the confectionaries, but you might want to look at Fran's, Oh Chocolate!, Hotcakes, and Intrigue Chocolate.  Aaron Barthel at Intrigue is very highly regarded.

http://www.seattlemag.com/article/best-chocolate-shops

http://www.yelp.com/search?cflt=chocolate&find_loc=Seattle%2C+WA

http://www.getyourhotcakes.com/

Good luck!

 

Blessings,

Andrew

Update: I am alive and well in Seattle as of two months ago! I am currently working at Theo Chocolate as a chocolate production operator. 

updated by @honmeid: 05/17/16 12:34:09AM

Hello @honmeid,

Good for you!  I'm glad you made it and found employment.  I'm in the Ecole Chocolat program right now for making bean-to-bar chocolate, so I might look for a job at one of the bean-to-bar chocolate companies in the Seattle area after graduation.

I hope all goes well at Theo!

Keep in touch.  indi chocolate is the bean to bar chocolate maker in PIke Place Market.  We'll be moving to a bigger facility in the Market next year...

Thanks, Erin!