Welcome to the first installment of “Meet the Purveyor,” a series in which we tell you the story of one of our esteemed food suppliers. Our first post is all about Jacques Torres, chocolate connoisseur.
Profiter de la vie—to enjoy life; it’s an art we practice every day here at Ayza.
This fervor for savoring the moment fuels our commitment to quality and excellence in everything we do.
It’s infused in every yummy morsel and delightful sip we serve, and a shared passion among our enthusiastic patrons.
It also inspires every chef, chocolatier, mixologist and sommelier that contributes to our menu offerings.
These talented individuals deserve a heap of credit. After all, they help us provide the exceptional dining experience that is synonymous with the Ayza brand.
We felt it was high time to give them some love by featuring them through a series we call, “Meet The Purveyor.” We’ll tell you a bit about their careers and creative process, while highlighting some of the fabulous magic they bring to our menu.
First up is someone who truly needs no introduction—”Mr. Chocolate” himself—the legendary French chocolatier, Jacques Torres.
Where It All Began…
Jacques hails from Bandol—a tiny hamlet in the southern region of Provence, France. It was there that young Jacques’ passion for chocolate was ignited.
After an impressive beginning as pastry chef at the Hotel Negresco—under the tutelage of Michelin two-star chef Maximin—and being the youngest recipient of France’s M.O.F. medal in Pastry, Jacques landed the coveted spot as Corporate Pastry Chef for the Ritz Carlton in New York City.
He quickly catapulted to culinary stardom, becoming Executive Pastry Chef at the legendary Le Cirque, while starring on television shows for PBS and the Food Network, authoring several books, and winning several prestigious awards—including France’s highest accolade, the Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur.
In 2000, Jacques achieved his American dream by opening the first of many chocolate factories and retail establishments throughout Brooklyn and Manhattan.
Being the first to make his chocolate from fresh cocoa beans, an overwhelming demand for his confectionery brilliance precipitated the need for Jacques to move production to a 40,000 sq. ft. chocolate manufacturing plant in Brooklyn.
As if that isn’t enough, Jacques is also Dean of Pastry Arts at the International Culinary Center, where he is inspiring the next generation of pastry chefs. He’s also a fervent supporter of many charities that support and benefit children.
But, wait…there’s more! Jacques opened NYC’s first ever chocolate museum—Choco-Story New York, Chocolate Museum and Experience with Jacques Torres—which includes workshops, chocolate-making classes, premium tastings, and lots of activities for kids and adults.
Jacques’ Masterful Production Process
As a true pioneer and brilliant chocolatier, Jacques has perfected his high-speed manufacturing process to ensure the highest standards of quality and artistry. If you didn’t know better, you’d think his exquisite chocolates were hand-crafted!
Jacque’s process is pure: with no preservatives, artificial sweeteners, antioxidants or chemicals to be found.
The ingenious use of powerful vacuum mixers (typically used to produce cosmetics) allows ingredients to be mixed in a way that concentrates flavors, eliminates air bubbles, and extends shelf life.
Jacques uses another piece of cosmetics machinery to perform a tricky move—squirting melted chocolate into molds, and then filling that chocolate with a liquid center. This brilliant maneuver is behind Jacques’ high-precision, liquid-filled caramel truffles.
Our Featured Jacques Torres Menu Items
We are so pleased to bring Monsieur Torres’ innovative creations to our customers.
We offer several types of his ganache: 80% intense dark chocolate, milk chocolate with a hint of cognac, and one of our favorites—Love Bug—key lime covered in white chocolate.
If you’re feeling adventurous, get flirty with a dark chocolate Ménage a Trois, or indulge your obsession with one of Jacques’ liquor-infused confectioneries such as Hearts of Passion—Alizé and fresh passion fruit inside delicious milk chocolate.
Willy Wonka Who?
Jacques’ celebrated chocolate magic is sure to blow the roof off your greatest expectations. We invite you to come in and sample his unique brand of “pure imagination.”
You’ll think you died and went to chocolate heaven.
Try one of our chocolate martinis—served with a complimentary Jacques Torres truffle.