Chocolate

🍫 Newsletter: Meet Amaury Guichon — The Sculptor of Sweetness

Julie’s Journal | The Mindful Activist in the Kitchen

A New Kind of Chocolate Magic

My friends, if December has a patron saint of dessert, his name may very well be Amaury Guichon. While the rest of us are out here rolling truffles, piping Chantilly, and wondering whether we can brûlée without scorching our fingertips, Amaury is—casually—building life-size elephants out of chocolate.

Yes. Elephants. Out of chocolate.

(And we’re over here feeling proud when our macarons don’t crack.)

But let me introduce him properly.

Who Is This Wizard of Cocoa?

Amaury Guichon was born in France in 1991, raised near Geneva, and whisked into the culinary world early. Instead of algebra homework, he was tempering chocolate. Instead of teenage rebellion, he was sculpting dragons out of cocoa butter.

He trained through the famously demanding French pastry apprenticeship system, rising quickly as one of the most promising young pâtissiers in Europe. But here’s what makes him extraordinary:

Where most chefs see ingredients, Amaury sees architecture.

Where we see a chocolate bar, he sees potential for a carousel horse.

This is not exaggeration. He has made:

• A full-size chocolate octopus
• Violins that look ready for the Philharmonic
• A golden dragon with individually carved scales
• Mechanical chocolate sculptures that move

Suddenly, the chocolate Santa in the grocery aisle looks a little… basic.

From Pastry Chef to Global Sensation

After early accolades in France and Switzerland, Amaury moved to Las Vegas as head pastry chef at Jean-Philippe Patisserie. There, the world discovered him through quietly hypnotic videos of his process—glossy chocolate being pulled, shaped, carved, coaxed into art.

No narration. No drama.

Just mastery.

Millions were captivated.

If Martha Stewart had a nephew who was a chocolate-sculpting Jedi, this would be him.

Today, he teaches at his Pastry Academy, trains the next wave of culinary artists, and stars in the Netflix series “School of Chocolate,” where he is somehow both intimidatingly talented and gently encouraging. His teaching style is soothing—like a chocolate therapist guiding you toward your higher potential.

Why I’m Sharing His Story with You

Because December is the month when dessert becomes both ritual and celebration. It’s when we lean into sweetness, creativity, and a tiny bit of decadence (fine—sometimes a large bit).

And Amaury’s work reminds us that:

✨ Beauty and craftsmanship matter

✨ It’s never too late to learn a new skill

✨ Creativity can come in dark, milk, or white

✨ Imagination doesn’t retire

He embodies the spirit I want to bring into Noël:

A little more awe. A little more boldness. And a lot more chocolate.

A Final Thought Before You Go Preheat Something

This holiday season, while we whisk and fold and torch (safely!), may we remember that the kitchen is not just a place of utility—it’s a place of art, invention, and joy.

If Amaury can make a life-size giraffe out of chocolate, surely we can manage a crème brûlée topping without setting off the smoke alarm.

Probably.

Julie Bolejack, MBA (A former award-winning artisan chocolatier - numerous national and international awards)