CHOCOLATIER JOB DESCRIPTION

Chocolats Passion is a thriving French-style artisan chocolate shop and creation space located at 175 Spring Street, in the West End neighborhood of Portland, Maine.  We make high quality chocolates that have been getting growing recognition since we opened our space in September 2018 on Brackett Street (the business started in 2014 in the Boston area).  We moved to our current much larger retail and production space in December 2023.

We only use Fair Trade chocolate for our production: our largest supplier is E. Guittard and also includes Valrhona and Flechlin.  We utilize high-quality ingredients, including local cream/butter, and tree nuts and organic citrus from family farms.

We are looking for a person to join our team full-time to learn all aspects of chocolate production.  While we don’t need our new team member to have direct chocolate experience, we expect her/him to have a professional education/background in pastry/related activity, or to have worked in a professional kitchen or food production facility. 

We are looking for someone who wants to learn the difficult and meticulous art of artisan chocolate making, who will be passionate about the product they make and will be keen to share it with our customers. You will be trained by and working closely with Sarah, Co-Owner and Lead Chocolatier.  The job is split between production work and dealing with customers - who visit the shop noon to 6 PM Wednesday to Sunday.  Your work day will typically start mid-morning to shop closing time, except during peak chocolate selling season when the hours will be longer (holidays, Valentine’s day, Easter, Mother’s day).  As a full-time person, your typical work week will include three weekdays and one weekend day. Our work days average 9 to 10 hours per day during the October to May busy season.   During your initial training period, there will be one shorter day (5 hours) and three longer days.

THE JOB: As a Chocolatier on our team, you will have the opportunity to learn and perfect every facet of chocolate production following our unique methods.  And to deliver a delightful experience to every customer.    

Production, we expect you to:
Work quickly, neatly, and efficiently. Complete repetitive tasks in a timely manner. Keep your work area clean and organized, while following food safety and quality standards. 

Conquer the multiple variables to produce high-quality chocolates that meet our exacting standards.  Develop the skills necessary to making chocolates in varying seasonal/ environmental conditions.  Learn our chocolate decorating techniques. 

Become adept at packaging various box formats for shop sales or online shipments.  During peak times, assist in packaging and shipping orders to our online customers.

We will pay for you to get your Person in Charge/ Maine Food Manager certification within a few months of joining our team.                                                                                                                                                                Creating new confections:  We love introducing our customers to new tastes!  We value the wealth of collective knowledge that comes from having everyone on the team contribute to the creation of new chocolates and confections. Our ideal candidate will be excited to partake in our creative process and will be able, after proper training, to start creating new chocolates under the guidance of our Lead Chocolatier.                                                                                                                                                           

Retail Sales will focus on:  Preparing the shop for retail hours. Being a polished and enthusiastic ambassador for our products while introducing them to our customers.  Creating a happy, customized experience for every customer.

Maintaining a good sense of humor and positive outlook during the peak pressure times.  Adapting to changing work hours (less production/more retail) during peak chocolate holidays.  During the busiest time of year, overtime hours are to be expected. 

Qualities of an ideal candidate:                                                             

1+ years of experience in a professional pastry setting, or training at a culinary school.

Attention to detail, ability to follow directions, be able to perform detailed and delicate work quickly, accurately, and consistently.  Ability to work independently after training.

Consistently positive attitude, patience and kindness towards our customers.

Good at multi-tasking and shifting between production tasks and customers.
 
Ability to lift up to 25 lbs, and to stand on your feet for up to 9 hours.

Fluent in English and able to work in the U.S. 

We require our employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (vaccines + boosters as available to their age group).   

Pay and Benefits:

Chocolats Passion is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all our employees.

Starting hourly rate will depend on experience, with a raise at the conclusion of a successful three-months mutual trial period.  Our  expectation is of an 18 months minimum commitment.

We offer all our employees three weeks accrued paid time off each year (vacation/sick/personal time), calculated on the basis of average work hours.  We offer a sizable yearly bonus, regular raises, and a generous employee discount.

Contact via email, or in person during our shop open hours: 

Sarah Burns, Co- Owner and Lead Chocolatier
175 Spring Street, Suite D, Portland ME 04102

Send your CV or any questions to Sarah via our Contact page  or at:  info@chocolatspassion.com                     

https://chocolatspassion.com/