Based in Seattle, Washington, a town known for its excellent chocolatiers, Chef Michael D. Poole handcrafts his confections tempering a high-quality chocolate in smaller quantities than commercial producers to ensure the gloss and sheen that immediately temps the eye to the finished delight. He hand pours the tempered chocolate into molds in the shapes of pharaohs, hearts, ovals, and spheres. Layer by layer the chocolate is poured, dried, and filled with flavored ganaches like coconut; lemon meringue; mango; macadamia nuts and caramel; vanilla, caramel, coffee, and raspberry; and his signature heart-shaped , tri-colored chocolate filled with raspberry ganache.
African American chocolatiers in the United States are few, and Chef Michael D. Poole reigns as the ultimate chocolatier among them. Trained at the Le Cordon Bleu of Paris with Le Grande Diplome in cuisine and pastry, as well as valedictorian of his graduating class, Chef Poole has won numerous awards for his culinary skills. He returns to Paris, France frequently to receive advance, on-the job training in the art of making chocolates with the best French chocolatiers.
Five Alarm, "Habanero Caramel" enrobed in Dark Chocolate