Andrew, January 08 Graduate,
Professional Program
"Yes, I was particularly pleased with the way the skills aspect was taught - something I had envisaged would be very difficult over the internet."
Lynn, January 08 Graduate,
Professional Program
"Yes, most definitely. The curriculum exceeded my expectations. Everything for me in the beginning was intimidating and like anything else in life, working with chocolate required a bit of practice. Once I understood how chocolate works and how not to panic, I was good to go and I was able to relax and enjoy to process of learning. Today I can look back and laugh at that intimidation and I can look forward to a whole world opening up when it comes to using different ingredients, textures and colors with chocolate!
I will be highly recommending this course. At first people couldn’t believe that it was 100% online and little by little they saw my improvement, my technique developing. I’m a true believer that what you put into something you will get out of. This course required my focus, determination, passion, heart, courage and gave me a firm foundation that has added to my business as a Personal Chef and even more, the course added another level of skill, talent, and also gave me another goal to work towards! Thank you so much!"
Peter January 08 Graduate,
Professional Program
"I was a little sceptical wether taking a course over the net could be done, especially a chocolate course, but i have to admit, it was great."
Michelle, Jan 08 Graduate,
QA Program
"It taught me what I expected to learn with regard to keeping limits but I learned a tremendious amount of information that I did not realize I needed to know at this early stage in the process of preparing to start a business."
Sue, September 07 Graduate,
Professional Program
"Completely! I haven't been challenged like this in a long time. The curriculum removed me from my comfort zone, which I greatly enjoyed. At times I was overwhelmed with all the information, but it only made me realize that chocolate is a serious business and one that I cannot take lightly if I am to succeed."
Deb, September 07 Graduate,
Professional Program
"Yes, I learned more in 3 months than I ever have in any other course I've taken. I had no idea what I was really going to learn, but this has really given me the foundation to take the next steps to starting a business. Plus, I look forward to practicing the chocolate making techniques we learned.It opened my eyes to a whole new world of chocolate.
It was so well rounded. I learned things about the chocolate business it would have taken years to figure out on my own. The list of suppliers was amazing and the "tours" of places like Paris and New York really made me feel like I was there. Inspiring! The exercises were really challenging - they forced me into thinking about my own business. There was enough information provided to start me off and then I was able to research more to suit my needs. It was great to be able to focus on my own vision. It made it such a useful way to do exercises."
Cynthia, September 07 Graduate,
Professional Program
"Oh YES! I have become really good at tempering chocolate, and my brain is bursting with recipe ideas. This last module has been amazing. It included great information for starting a business. - So much so that I am on to my next phase which is actually taking a "Start your business" course at the local small business administration."
Sept 07 Graduate,
QA Program
"This module exceeds my expectations; this compilization is an excellent set of reference materials for both learning and using a referent guide. The caliber and broad range of information and resources complied in the Quality Assurance and Keeping Limits Program is exemplary of Ecole Chocolat commitment to training and supporting the artisan chocolate maker. "
Ivanka, April 07 Graduate,
Professional Program
"The course exceeded my expectations. I kept reading this in your testimonials but it does not really become true until you have experienced it... Once immersed in the lectures, it became a virtual classroom in my mind, and it ceased to matter that "Pam" was not standing there in the flesh. The tangential explorations, both as directed by the course and self-directed through curiousity, were beneficial.
I always felt as though Pam was present, and the personal touch of the lecturer's voice was very appreciated. The greatest strength of the program is the depth of knowledge presented to us, and the confident and benevolent virtual presence of both Pam and Heidi. The gradual build-up of background knowledge and the flow of the course material was obviously well planned."
Dandrea, April 07 Graduate,
Professional Program
"Interacting with the other students was lots of fun and extremely beneficial. Using their research as well as my own will be useful as I continue on growing my business. It was also beneficial reading about different tastes and pallettes and how each student evaluated different chocolates by taste, appearance, character, etc. The assigments were great in that they really motivated me to dig into the research and think deeply about my business plans. I don't think I would have done that otherwise."
Isabel, April 07 Graduate,
QA Program
"I think the strenght is the broad range on aspects that are reviewed. The basics for building the GMP plan and the shelf life tests on the master recipes are the strongest poitns in the course. They are a fantastic base!! As all the Ecole du Chocolat curriculums, this is another interesting, full of knowledge and mind opener course."
Megan, Jan 07 Graduate,
Professional Program
"My expectations of the program were met and surpassed. It is truly a well rounded program that prepares you for the chocolate industry.
Strengths of the program are the lectures, they are incredibly clearly written. The timelines were excellent, it kept the program moving but it was easily balanced with my full time job. The feedback provided in the program was always timely, specific and constructive. The knowledge of the instructors is a huge strength of the program; it is always enjoyable to learn from people who are passionate and educated in a given area. The program also has a wonderful discussion forum for students. Reading other student's assignment and seeing how things turned out for them was really helpful and sometimes comforting."
Amanda, Jan 07 Graduate, Professional Program
"The curriculum far exceeded my expectations. I was impressed by the huge range and volume of information and links. I was surprised and delighted with the many angles you approached Chocolate from - from history to the future, from business to pleasure, from packageing to health concerns - It's a far bigger world than I realised!
I loved this course. My personal goals were all forfilled and exceeded. Not only has it opened up the delicious world of chocolate, it is also full of entrepreneurial tips and business advice that could be applied to any industry. However, to prospective students...if you are thinking of doing this course, be warned - it is imposible to spend even short amounts of time studying chocolate without the need to eat it! Stock up well before you start is my advice!"
Christopher, Jan 07 Graduate, Professional Program
"Absolutely: I was almost overawed with the amount of literature and articles that were made available. This alone was worth the money -- but the expert "on call" advice of Pam and Heidi was invaluable. I would recommend this course to anyone who was serious about becoming a chocolatier in a heart-beat!"
Lori, Jan 07 Graduate, Professional Program
"I am at the stage where I have already started my business and I am over a year into it now. Before signing up for the course, I wondered what I would really get out of it. Well, I can truly say that I have gained a lot of valuable knowledge and skills that I would not have achieved on my own. I now have a far greater level of knowledge on tasting, tempering and recipe development. I have already applied this knowledge to my business and it has enhanced it greatly."
Penny, Jan 07 Graduate, QA program:
"I thought this was an excellent follow-up course to the Chocolatier program. It should be an industry requirement for every chocolatier. To me, this is a stepping off point to further my education in this field. This is an intriguing field and not just chocolate specific. I found it extremely interesting and learned a great deal. Thanks goes to the staff and all of their efforts for a job well done."
Denise, Sept 06 Graduate,
Professional Program
" It has been difficult to find
a program which focuses specifically on chocolate; most are incorporated
into Baking & Pastry Arts Programs which give minimal attention
to chocolate. Ecole Chocolat’s curriculum is committed to
the study of chocolate and includes all elements pertaining to
theory and application within the industry.
An extensive amount of information has
been organized and thoughtfully presented in a concise, educational
package. Each module of the program is crammed with factual content,
knowledge and insightful application gathered from recognized
professionals, associations and organizations within the chocolate
industry … invaluable sources of information that cannot
be found in any purchased textbook."
Steve, Sept 06 Graduate, Professional Program
"As I did various courses in chocolate
production I believe this course was an excellent one. Even more
expensive industry accredited chocolate courses on chocolate manufacturing
in my country they don't offer one tenth of the information this
course is offering. It helped me to improve my knowledge and skills
in handling chocolate and creating my signature chocolates. The
assistance,immediate responce, comments and advise of the lecturers
were very helpful and professional."
Tam-y-ko, Sept 06 Graduate, Professional Program
"Yes, Yes, Yes!!! Not only were
my expectations met but they were exceeded. The course was more
than fully comprehensive, it was a fantastic experience that was
so much fun it never felt like work. I would highly recommend
it to anyone and I can’t wait to do the Ecole Maître
Chocolatier Program next.
I think I had more notes, case studies,
pictures and references in this course then when I did my degree.
Pam and Joanne were right there with you every step of the way,
answering questions and queries as soon as they were posed. They
made it easy to learn and master techniques."
Debbie, May 06 Graduate, QA program:
"Yes. This was exactly the course
I needed and exactly at the right time, as I am launching my business.
Althought I have a lot of familiarity with cGMP because of my
experience managing the Quality Assurance laboratories for the
manufacturing function of a major chemical company (including
FDA-regulated products), the specific application to chocolate
was new and just what I needed. My familiarity did make the reading
easy to grasp since the concepts and terms were something I have
dealt with before.
One of the added benefits to these
classes is the development of a network of peers, and the compilation
of a lot of valuable information in one place. And for me, with
my allergy to nuts that prevents me doing any "hands-on"
internships, this course was invaluable (along with your other
course). Without them, I would not have been able to develop the
skills and start my business."
Steve, April 06 Graduate, Professional Program
"This curriculum was much better
that I expected, as I was very suspicious at the start for an
online chocolate course. All techniques were covered very well
with a wealth of information and assisted me to improve my skills
further. The knowledge I gained was huge and I appreciated very
much all the master recipes included in the course.
As I did various courses in chocolate
production I believe this course was an excellent one. Even more
expensive industry accredited chocolate courses on chocolate manufacturing
in my country they don't offer one tenth of the information this
course is offering. It helped me to improve my knowledge and skills
in handling chocolate and creating my signature chocolates. The
assistance,immediate responce, comments and advise of the lecturers
were very helpful and professional."
Casie, April 06 Graduate, Professional Program
"They were more than exceeded.
I was just planning on getting an overview of the chocolate industry
and ended up with more than enough to start my own business. Definitely.
I did not necessarily expect me to master the things I have. I
just thought I would walk away with a better knowledge. I have
learned so much. Now I will definitely have to practice somethings
more than others so I can fully master them."
Kim, Jan 06 Graduate, Professional Program
"This was a great opportunity to
get me thinking about all levels of the chocolate industry from
its history to the making of chocolates and the laying out of
marketing and operations plans.
I have gained tremendous knowledge and
have been given the confidence to pursue my dreams of owning a
chocolate shop. I think I will always be able to improve upon
my techniques, but have accomplished more than expected."
Marcia, Jan 06 Graduate, Professional Program
"Yes-above and beyond my expectations.
I thought I would just be 'learning to make candy' and ended up
excited about the possibility of a new avenue of creativity and
possibly a new career!
What a gift from the two of you to share
your knowledge and your time to those of us wanting to become
a part of the industry that you are obviously passionate about.
It takes a special person to share these industry 'secrets' and
resources knowing that the ones that you are teaching could possibly
become the 'competition' at some point. It was also so refreshing
to receive help from so many others in the industry willing to
give advice and help."
Linda, Sept 05 Graduate, Professional Program
"This program far exceeded my expectations!
It was chock full of references that are crucial information for
succeeding in this field. I gained much knowledge and confidence
in honing my chocolate making techniques as well as expanding
my knowledge of this field in general."
Zach, Sept 05 Graduate, Professional Program
"Yes, my expectations were met
for a beginning chocolatier program. The amount of material covered
and the range of topics were very comprehensive, covering all
aspects of the business. For depth for a beginning program was
just about right. I loved the material. It was well written and
well supported with photographs. I thought that covering the science
and detail on ingredient specifics (such as the explanation of
sugars, etc.) was especially helpful. I believe a chocolatier
has to know intimately every ingredient he uses and why; the material
supported my perspective."
Shannon, April 05 Graduate, Professional Program
"The strength of the Ecole Program
is the intensive course materials coupled with hands-on assignments
or assignments that required real world application. I learned
an incredible amount about the chocolate product but more importantly
I learned this is a medium I want to dedicate my next professional
venture.
The Ecole Program was inclusive and
intensive enough to teach me that something that I have enjoyed
my whole life is worth the efforts to become a passion. At times
I was challenged my the assignments to the point of throwing up
my hands in confusion or defeat, but in the same breathe the challanges
allowed me to grow as a creative culinary person and a business
person."
Jacqueline, April 05 Graduate, Professional Program
"Not only were my expectations
met, but they were exceeded. The lessons covered far more aspects
of chocolate making and business than I anticipated. I feel the
modules were comprehensive in their subject matter, and the course
was delivered in a very organized and easy to use system. I think
one of the main strengths is the sharing among class participants.
I know I learned a lot from my fellow students.
Also, the availability of the instructors
to questions. The way the course is formatted was very impressive
and made the lectures and lessons easy to access and understand.
The modules were very organized and seemed to build one upon the
other. Also I think the course was well suited to novices as well
as those with more experience. "
Rachel, Jan 05 Graduate, Professional Program
"When I signed up for the program
I looked at it as sort of a gamble, since the expense wasn’t
going to break the bank right now. In retrospect, it was definitely
worth it, as it made it possible for me to discover how much I
enjoy working with chocolate, how much it stirs my imagination,
that I’m actually good at it and have some idea of how to
make a business work.
Even though the program has many strengths,
the nature of the subject matter, at least the technique part,
lends itself to the online learning environment with difficulty.
I longed for demonstrations. Also, not being able to talk to someone
was frustrating. Do you think it would be possible to establish
"office hours" for people who were willing to spend
the long distance charges? The problem with emailing, aside from
delayed response time, is that often the answer to one question
raises 5 more. Often one phone call can cover the territory of
several emails."
Lisa, Jan 05 Graduate, Professional Program
"Yes. I found it to be very comprehensive
and covered every topic I'd wondered about and many I'd never
thought of. The information provided has given me a sound knowledge
about the chocolate industry, being a chocolatier and working
with chocolate that I did not have before. The techniques are
described very well and with the feedback and more practice, I
feel sure that I can master them. At this point I don't want to
say I've mastered everything, but that is just because I haven't
been doing this long enough...no fault of the program.
The organization is excellent, the instructors
knowledgable, and the ability to work independently while having
a forum for learning from others is invaluable."
Jill, Sept 04 Graduate, Professional Program
"Yes. The curriculum was well set
out and easy to understand. It was also very informative and interesting.
Yes. I learnt so much about chocolate which was fantastic. I also
know where to find out more information. I thoroughly enjoyed
learning the techniques and look forward to further improving
them.
The amount of information available
and the way the program was set up. It was very easy to use the
website and discussion forum."
Kristy, Sept 04 Graduate, Professional Program
"My expectations were met and exceeded.
I thought the curriculum had a lot of depth for beginners like
me. I like the layout of each module. The lectures were very thorough
and I gleaned much knowledge from them, however, the case studies
and examples provided gave the information a "real world"
view that I appreciated very much.
Although I view this course as just
the tip of the iceberg for me, I feel that I learned the basics,
the fundamentals, the ABC's if you will. I am very pleased with
the course and I will miss logging on every day. I am looking
forward to completing the two additional steps - hopefully both
within the next year."
Janet, April 04 Graduate, Professional Program
"Yes, by all means! I learned a
great deal! I found that the program structure was interesting,
and, definitely, all the research and links that were combined
with the lectures were terrific. It was inspiring to visit so
many web pages of chocolatiers and to learn from their experiences
as well as the very excellent lectures.
I really enjoyed this course. If I hadn't
taken it, I wouldn't even have thought of creating a micro-business.
Now, I'm already registered to sell chocolates, have a logo being
registered, and my goals for clientele have already been surpassed!
Yikes! I'm an entrepreneur! My web page, which is very much "in
process" is chocolaticos.com. I also have many goals for
the future in developing chocolates as beautiful as Norman Love
or Thomas Haas. However, for now, I want to concentrate on the
basic skills, both in chocolatiering and in managing a micro-business."
Heather, April 04 Graduate, Professional Program
"My expectations were exceeded.
The course was more intense and time-consuming than I thought
it would be. When I read that the course would make a great gift,
I thought it would be an overview of information. However, the
lectures and assignments really challenged me. The course is well
worth it. I am so motivated and excited about starting my own
business right now.
I really enjoyed learning ALL about
chocolate and feel like I can enter the industry with confidence.
The section on Production is extremely helpful in conveying a
typical "day in the life..." Otherwise, I would have
had to rely on trial and error for space and equipment needed.
Even though I have worked in professional kitchens before, chocolate
production has its own unique characteristics. I thoroughly enjoyed
myself and will recommend this course to anyone who is curious
about being a Chocolatier.
Denise, Jan 04 Graduate, Professional Program
"My expectations were exceeded!
The program was wonderful. I was able to master the techniques
and I now practice them frequently.
The program was very thorough and took
me quickly from zero knowledge about chocolate to the production
of chocolates which rival many professional products I have tried.
I'm simply amazed."
April, Jan 04 Graduate, Professional Program
"The curriculum greatly exceeded
my expectations. I went into the program thinking i would learn
a bit more about the fundamentals of working with chocolate. I
came away with a well rounded education not only in the fundamentals
but in the business aspect of owning my own shop. The exercises
and resources provided from the chocolate itself to the packaging
are invaluable.
I was blown away by the amount of knowledge
I obtained from this course. I would have been happy to pay 2-3
times the amount for this course. I have a greater understanding
for the chocolate industry in total, from each aspect of the business.
I was made to think outside my box to accomplish the goals of
certain assignments, teaching me valuable lessons. My vision and
understanding of the fundamentals and logistics of being a chocolatier
have clearer meaning to me now and have spawned limitless dreams
for my future."
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