It’s a Hallmark movie waiting to happen. Haylee Swartz was born and raised near Hershey, PA, where chocolate enthusiasts have flocked for decades to learn how chocolate is made. Her proximity to the legendary locale certainly inspired her childhood, and it planted a seed — she’s now a certified master chocolatier.
The lead maker behind Nashville’s Tempered Fine Chocolates, Haylee’s unique flavor combinations and artistic flair are making confectionery dreams come true. Get to know this talented FACE of the South!
Tell us a little bit about you. What brought you to Nashville?
I was born and raised in a small town in central Pennsylvania. Six years ago, I moved to Tennessee to be closer to some family members — I really liked Nashville when I visited my brother.
Why chocolate? What inspired your career?
I have always had a love of baking. I studied baking and pastry arts at Pennsylvania College of Technology and started my career working in many bakeries. When I was a college student, I had to take a chocolate and confectionery class. That’s when my love for making chocolates began. I started working at Tempered Fine Chocolates six years ago. Once I started my career at Tempered, I knew that I wanted to specialize in chocolate.
What’s your first memory of chocolate?
I grew up close to Hershey, Pennsylvania. As a young child, I remember going on tours at Hershey Chocolate World and learning about the process of chocolate making.
We hear you went to Switzerland to get your master chocolatier certification. Tell us more!
It was an incredible experience. I studied at the Condirma, where I was taught by Chef Ramon and Chef Keith. They are incredible corporate chefs for Felchlin Chocolate. They trained me on different chocolate-making techniques. I also got to learn more about the history of chocolate. My favorite part was learning from Chef Ramon and Chef Keith and getting to meet and talk to some of the talented chefs in my class.
Tell us about your favorite offerings at Nashville’s Tempered and The Green Hour (coffee and chocolate shop by day, absinthe bar by night).
My favorite chocolates at Tempered are the milk chocolate strawberry-honey bar, the milk chocolate peanut butter truffle, and the dark chocolate orange balsamic truffle. Tempered offers wine and whiskey flights that are a lot of fun. You pick three wines and whiskeys and they get paired with our chocolates. Green Hour offers absinthe flights as well.
If you were stuck on a desert island (and chocolate didn’t melt), what’s the ONE type of chocolate you would want to have in your pocket?
I would have to go with the classic milk chocolate peanut butter truffles made with Swiss chocolate.
With holiday celebrations right around the corner, what pairings do you recommend?
I recommend stocking up on champagne for New Year’s. We pair brut sparkling wine with our dark chocolate champagne truffle or the dark chocolate lavender hibiscus truffle. Cabernet is another great choice. We pair our cabernet with our dark chocolate sangria truffle. For whiskey, I would recommend Leiper’s Fork Bourbon paired with our milk chocolate old fashioned truffle.
What’s something most people would be surprised to learn about you?
Even though I’m not from Miami, I am a huge Miami Dolphins fan.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Follow your passion. It’s important to love what you do every day.
Apart from family, friends, and chocolate, name three things you can’t live without.
Gilmore Girls, coffee, and my phone.
HAYLEE’S TOP CHOCOLATE TIPS!
- When searching for quality chocolate, Haylee says to look for a short ingredient list, the cocoa percentage, a glossy appearance, and a smooth texture.
- Unsurprisingly, given her stint at Felchlin Chocolate’s Switzerland headquarters (which has been around since 1908!), Haylee recommends using Felchlin chocolate for baking.
- For holiday chocolate-making: “If you want to make chocolate bark or chocolate bars, add crushed peppermint and a small amount of peppermint mint extract to the chocolate. You can also add a small amount of cinnamon, ground cloves, and nutmeg to the chocolate.”
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