1. Tell us a bit about yourself.   
   
   I am a chocolate maker by profession and a food technologist by education. After having completed my Master’s degree from Cornell University, I moved to Belgium to learn the art of chocolate making from the biggest legends in the industry to finally come back and start my own chocolate store.
   
   2. Why did you become a maker?  Why is making so important to you? 
   
   I started my career making bon bons by procuring them from companies that were making chocolate bars on a commercial scale. There was only so much that I could do to make my product taste good because my end result depended on the quality of chocolate bars supplied to me. I wanted to push my products to the next level and hence I got into manufacturing chocolates from scratch, bean to bar. This not only allowed me to control my end result but gave me immense satisfaction in giving my client a product which has my touch from the beginning to the end. From personally choosing the beans to the stage of tempering, I take special interest in making sure my bars are of the highest quality.
   
   

3. How did you begin ? 

Having learnt the art of fine chocolate making from around the world, I put my skills to use by starting my own chocolate store under the name Ganache in 2014. Ganache was my first venture that I started in the attic at my house in Coimbatore. Initially, our reach was through word of mouth but after our first Diwali we were a roaring success and there has been no looking back since then.

4. What is the story behind your brand name?

My journey to where I am today would not have been possible today without my late mother, Chitra. Though she was not formally educated in the art of chocolate making, she found her passion in what I did and in many ways amazed me by her chocolate making skills. She learnt the fundamentals from me and quickly began innovating. Chitra’m is a tribute to my mother who has been a constant source of inspiration.

5. How has your business evolved over the years? 

Ganache was a successful venture. However, with a rapid growing demand for chocolates in an untapped market, there was a need to switch to a larger production unit which led to the opening of Infusions, my second brand. At Infusions, we again created a new concept by introducing the city to Cacao cuisine and within four months we started our most successful venture till date under the name, Chitra’m Craft Chocolates. Today, Chitra’m is an international award winning bean to bar chocolate brand.  

6. Your work space. 
I currently have a state of art chocolate manufacturing facility which I am very proud of. This chocolate processing unit has the capacity to make 100- 150 kg chocolates a day. We have a separate temperature controlled bean to bar chocolate making room which is the highlight of my space. My team is a bunch of fresh and passionate food processing graduates personally hand-picked by me and trained in the art of chocolate making.

7. Your favorite work tool.

Temperature is probably one of the most important factors which determine the end esult in chocolate making. Chocolate makers around the world extensively use laser thermometers to gauge the temperature of the chocolate at every stage. Hands down, a good laser thermometer would be on top of the favourite tool list any day.

8. What is currently on your work table?
A dark chocolate bar waiting to be unmoulded, wrapped and sent to Taiwan for the International Chocolate Awards 2019.

9. What is your personal favorite pick from your line up right now? And why?

My personal favourite would be Ragi and Coconut milk. I have always felt our indigenous ingredients have not had enough spotlight in the world food scene and my attempt was to create a means for this humble ingredient to reach the foreign markets. Most of us Indians as toddlers have been fed this superfood in combination with coconut milk. The ragi and coconut milk bar is an attempt to evoke nostalgia.

 
10. What are your displaying at the By Hand, From The Heart Makers Market in Chennai?
I am showcasing Chitra’m bean to bar chocolates and European hot chocolates which are my best sellers at my Café Infusions in Coimbatore.

Meet the Maker @
27th edition:  By Hand From The Heart Makers Market
2 – 3 – August 2019 , Friday – Saturday | 10 a.m – 9 p.m
Hanu Reddy Residences, No. 41/19, Poes Garden, Chennai 600086, India.

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