We’ve always known that the best and the brightest come to Micelli to bring their creations to life, but when we met Norman Love, we knew we’d seen a star.
Love got his start as a pastry chef, trained in France, and went on to head up the global kitchens of Ritz Carlton as executive pastry chef. During this time he developed a deep understanding for the necessity of quality ingredients for a superior final product and eventually took matters into his own hands, opening a confectionary.
Love has been featured by USA Today, The Today Show, Robb Report, InStyle, Martha Stewart Living, Forbes and The Oprah Magazine for his creative, and expertly crafted, chocolates.
Read his vibrant story and see how his custom Micelli polycarbonate injection molds tie it all together.
With the precision of an artisan in a workshop, Norman Love blends a “master’s appreciation of the sensuous with the art of the chef to create hand crafted chocolates”.
Love got his culinary start in France, where the cuisine is as elegant as the fashion. As a budding and passionate chef, Love landed a pivotal position at a luxury hotel chain that would prove to shape his philosophy and future. It was while he was traveling extensively as the executive pastry chef for Ritz Carlton, that Love began to truly appreciate the importance of the highest quality ingredients to craft a superior final product.
Eventually, the time came for Love to branch off on his own and that is when Norman Love Confections was born. Armed with years of experience and the drive that is fueled by passion, Love began to assemble the necessary parts and pieces for a superior confectionary. From the start, he struck a unique balance of “creativity and precision” in order to ensure he was producing only the highest quality of chocolate.
In addition to the best ingredients and a creative flare for flavor, Love is also uses Micelli injection molds. He believes “the presentation is an art in itself” and so we had to find out where he draws his inspiration from and how Micelli helps him complete his artistic vision for crafting some of the finest quality chocolate.
What is your priority number one in your chocolate business?
"Quality is No. 1. And because I was fortunate enough to travel extensively when working for Ritz Carlton, I was able to sample the ultra-premium products of leading chocolate manufacturers from around the world and to hand-select some of the finest chocolates from many plantations to use in my confections. At Norman Love Confections, we begin with superior ingredients, including the world’s highest quality, ultra-premium chocolate, butter spices, nuts, purees and flavor, and we leave out the preservatives. We continually create new flavor combinations, starting with chocolates of varying degrees of intensity and pairing them with complementary flavors such as Key Lime Pie and cookies and cream."
How does your customer influence chocolate development?
"New ideas are what make us who we are, but we are careful to listen and watch for customer feedback so we can continue to offer favorites. When we create a new line, we often bring back past favorites that customers love, and maybe with a new twist such as an added flavor or with new aesthetics. Most importantly, flavors are about recognizable, comfort foods that Americans enjoy and appreciate."
What is unique about Norman Love Chocolate?
"First and foremost, our focus is on quality and never compromising the brand. The artistry of chocolate means everything to us at Norman Love Confections, so we proceed with an uncommon blend of creativity and precision to transform simple but wonderful ingredients into true culinary works of art. Americans eat with their eyes, so the presentation is an art in itself, and we continually innovate in the realm of aesthetics. Color, shape and texture are all given careful consideration. To reflect the beauty and presentation of the chocolates, we modeled the gift boxes after high-end jewelry boxes - sturdy, sleek and sophisticated."
What is your strategy when it comes to chocolate packing?
"My strategy has been to create solid leadership and increase efficiencies. I’m fortunate to have had the same packaging manager for 14 years, and he’s helped to develop a well-thought-out strategy that utilizes our packaging lines for maximum productivity. We’ve built a solid team that understands the importance of their jobs and appreciates that the packaged chocolates reflect not only their commitment to their job, but also reflects the integrity of our brand."
What goes into choosing the best chocolate product for your business?
"This goes back to my response to the first question – we source only the world’s highest quality, ultra-premium chocolate, butter spices, nuts, purees and flavors."
How has Micelli Molds helped you in your confectionary process?
"Similar to sourcing ingredients, we also select only the best custom polycarbonate injection molds for artisanal use. We appreciate that the quality of the molds and how they respond to heat/cold can impact the surface of our product, and therefore the quality and durability is critical to making beautiful chocolates with precise details. Using quality molds from Micelli allows our chocolatiers to create the beautiful finishes that are reflective of true culinary works of art."
For The Love of Making Chocolate,
The Micelli Team