Who is the Flaming Chocolatier?
I want to bring the world together through fine chocolate. I source sustainable cocoa from around the world to create craft chocolate in Vancouver Canada for chocolate lovers who want to take their senses to new heights. Join me as I push the boundaries of chocolate and explore what the world has to offer.
Mark Flaming began his sweet journey in Waterloo, Ontario. Coming from a large Mennonite family, desserts were always (and still are) a key part of family get-togethers, giving a young Mark early experience sharing creations with family, friends, and neighbours.
Mark trained in baking and pastry arts at George Brown College in Toronto. Upon graduation, he worked in pastry kitchens including the Royal Canadian Yacht Club and Toronto’s world-renowned Drake Hotel.
- “I love sweets! I also love learning where our food comes from. No food has a more interesting history that has been intertwined with war, murder, love, and simple indulgence. Chocolate is a fascinating food and I am excited to be part of the history of chocolate.” - Mark Flaming
After a stint working in the Yukon, Mark moved to Vancouver and decided to hone his skills on one thing: chocolate.
Mark landed a job in chocolate quickly upon arrival in Vancouver - taking on a role with Purdys where he would eventually lead product development introducing customer favourites such as Apple Crisp Caramel, Yuzu, Peanut Butter and Jelly, and Matcha, amongst others. He also lead chocolate outreach with classes on chocolate and chocolate-making to everyone from newlywed couples to the team that built the robotic arm for the International Space Station. After his time with Purdy’s, Mark joined Thomas Haas, one of the finest chocolatiers in Canada, in his kitchen, producing some of the city’s most desired chocolates.
Not only content creating chocolate indulgences, he started to look into where chocolate actually comes from. He began making chocolate at home with the best cocoa beans he could find. Experimenting with roasting cocoa, grinding and conching to create smooth luscious chocolate. Chocolate making has fused his passion for fine flavours and chocolate into one. Flaming Chocolates is the fruition of over 10 years of experience working with food.
- " As a small chocolate maker I use only sustainable cocoa which helps to ensure the cocoa farmers are looked after, and helps keep children out of the fields. Making chocolate from the bean allows for complete flavour control of the chocolate. " - Mark Flaming
Today, when he’s not working on his very own Flaming Chocolates, Mark is head chocolatier at Mon Paris Pattiserie in Burnaby.
