Description: On this first episode of the Well Tempered chocolate podcast, my guest is Tamara LaValla. She is the owner and chocolate maker at Batch Craft, an artisan chocolate company in South Carolina, as well as a multimedia artist, and formerly co-owner of a design studio.
Update Summer 2019: Batch Craft has relocated to North Carolina.
We make the chocolate we want to eat. - Tamara LaValla
Themes discussed in this episode:
Being a chocolate maker & artist
Balancing a full-time venture whilst running a small-batch chocolate startup
Finding the confidence to label yourself as a maker
Expanding your chocolate business creatively; tastings with local craft businesses, aesthetics, packaging
How travel expands your potential as a food business
Related links from episode:
Andrew Simonet, Artists U Founder and Director - Tamara did facilitation work with him, helping with others to build creative sustainable lives
Simran Sethi (https://simransethi.com/)
Author of "Bread, Wine, Chocolate"; paperback is available for preorder
Book mentions cacao from Camino Verde (Ecuador) used in Batch 5 and forthcoming Batch 6
More of this origin; Letter from the Camino Verde manager, Vicente Norero (4th generation working in the world of chocolate) about his approach.
Batch Craft has previously partnered with Free Range Brewing, Charlotte, NC
What artisan chocolate Tamara would eat in the Cosmos:
- Fruition Chocolate, Shokan, New York
- Map Chocolate, Oregon
- Dick Taylor, Eureka, California
Where to find Tamara & Batch:
Web (Preorder available!): http://batchcraft.com
Instagram: @batch_craft
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/batchcraft
Tamara’s former company: Social Design House
Connect with the podcast host Lauren:
Instagram: @wkndchocolate @welltemperedpodcast
Facebook: WKND Chocolate
Email: (sans the spaces) podcast @ wkndchocolate.com
Find new episodes, chocolate recipes, and writings at laurenonthewknd.substack.com