Montreal is a true foodie haven where all sorts of treats can be enjoyed throughout the city. But serious chocolate lovers know to head to Rosemont’s Olivier Piffaudat Chocolatier Alchimiste to really feed both their sweet tooth and their appetite for adventure. The boutique, owned and operated by Olivier Piffaudat himself, has been celebrated by experts in the field. “I was awarded a Quebec innovation prize in 2013, in the chocolate and confectionery category,” beams a proud Olivier.
And while the master chocolatier trained in France, he earned his pastry chef stripes working in establishments around the world. “After getting my culinary arts, pastry chef and service diplomas in France, I worked as an executive pastry chef for hotels, caterers and fine restaurants, some of which were awarded five diamonds or two macaroons by Michelin,” Olivier recounts. “I worked in France, the States and Wales. After a while, I felt the need to settle in Canada, and came to work at Mont-Tremblant, then as pastry chef at Les Caprices de Nicolas, Montreal’s first five-diamond establishment.”
While working for a youth integration service, Olivier discovered the art of chocolate. “I had my a-ha moment, and immediately wanted to make a career out of it,” he says.
