Meet Our Chocolatiers!

 Hello, I’m Kimberly Mitchell, of Covington, WA, and it will be my pleasure to teach you the art of chocolate making!  I’d like to share my background as a chocolatier and my past experience with candy making.

       It began 40 years ago, when I opened Sweet Designs, a retail store, in Burien, where I taught candy making classes and sold all the related supplies. I also taught classes at the local community colleges. Sweet Designs evolved into a retail, wholesale and chocolate manufacturing store. I was contracted by Disney to make the chocolate suckers sold in their candy and gift shops, in celebration of Disneyland’s 50th Anniversary.  The Sweet Designs store transitioned to Boehm’s Chocolates & Gift store, where I sold Boehm’s Chocolates and also made other types of chocolates and confections for resale.  As a member of RCI (Retail Confectioners International), I traveled to Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Germany and Austria, to receive instruction from several master chocolatiers.  

       As a master chocolatier myself, with the assistance of staff, I manufactured volumes of chocolates and candies for retail businesses. This included my unique line of Mitchell’s Sugar- Free Chocolates, creating a delectable, assorted box of sugar-free chocolates, that were distributed to well-known candy and gift shops Worldwide. I marketed the sugar-free centers we manufactured at national candy shows in the US, selling them to candy shops who create their own chocolates. They would then use our unsurpassed ready-made sugar-free soft centers in their chocolate creations.  I opened a second Boehm’s Chocolates & Gift store at the Super Mall, in Auburn, and operated the two stores for a period of 29 years. Following the sale of my stores, I continued to assist with the store’s operations. I also have had the fortunate opportunity to work for Boehm’s Candies, Inc., in Issaquah.

       My family/relatives now carry out an annual tradition, gathering together at Christmas time, to make assorted chocolates and truffles to fill approximately 150 two-pound boxes, to give as gifts. A few pictures taken during this past year’s event are posted on the Website. 

        I look forward to working with you and sharing my passion for chocolate-making. 

Hello, I’m Sue Nordstrom of Lake Stevens, WA. As the co-instructor of the many classes that Kim and I will be offering, I am excited to share my passion for candy making with you, teaching you everything you will want to know and learn about chocolate making.  

       My first attempt with relatively basic and simple candy making began 42 years ago. I’ve come a very long way, mastering the creation of such a vast variety of chocolates, truffles and complex confections, which allows me to now consider myself an ‘accomplished’ chocolatier.  

       In 1980, after participating in a very basic candy making class, I quickly discovered that I had a true passion for candy making. It began as a “hobby” and very quickly transitioned into a business, where I taught candy-making classes and sold supplies, in a dedicated space in my home.  Simultaneously, I also taught classes outside of my home in several local community education venues, to church ladies’ groups, and at school PTA meetings. My business grew so quickly and became so large, within a few years, I opened a retail store in Bothell. Over the years, I have taught literally thousands of students candy making.   

       Without obtaining any “official” schooling for chocolate-making, I had the opportunity to attend several national confectionery and chocolate related conventions, where I was able to take classes from some of our country’s most renowned chocolatiers. I feel privileged to have been taught truffle making and hand chocolate tempering from one of Fran’s Chocolates’ (of Seattle) accomplished dippers! I briefly worked as the manager at See’s Candies, in Bellevue, which allowed me to travel to their factory and learn first-hand about See’s chocolate-making processes. Many years of repeated practice and experimentation and continual learning has given me the wealth of knowledge I have to share with you.   

       One of my very favorite aspects of chocolate-making is to create unique, custom mints and favors for special events, occasions and celebrations. Designing creations to coordinate and compliment color themes, party goods, invitations and the subject theme of a party, wedding, or special event is always an exciting challenge. I aim for nothing less than the “wow!” reaction with the results. [Note: We can help you create these special mint and favor designs and provide you with hands-on instruction and the supplies you need to accomplish this yourself!]

       I’m confident you will find that chocolate-making is so much fun and not nearly as difficult as you might imagine. I know you will be surprised with how easy it is and how beautiful and tasty your creations will be. I look forward to working with you and helping you enjoy the “art of chocolate making” as much as I do!