World-renowned Chocolatier Melissa Coppel’s passion for pastry stems from childhood memories of watching her parents cook together and later testing new recipes with her grandmother.
She soon left her home in Cali, Colombia, to study pastry in Argentina before moving to Chicago to attend The French Pastry School in 2006.
One of the few women at the top of her field, Coppel worked at Joel Robuchon at the Mansion (a 3 Michelin star restaurant) and ran the pastry kitchen at L’ Atelier de Joel Robuchon in Las Vegas.
Her experience working in the chocolate rooms at Caesars Palace and Bellagio sparked her passion for this fascinating ingredient.
MELISSA COPPEL
CEO FOUNDER & CHOCOLATIER
“This profession has given me so much joy. For me, it’s really about giving back and growing together, which adds meaning to my life.”
-Melissa Coppel
Determined to put her own spin on chocolate, Chef Melissa’s style bloomed by merging plated desserts with bonbons. Her molded pieces balance nostalgia and originality with flavors evocative of her memories, and through artfully painted shells.
Since 2023, The New York Times has named her assorted bonbons one of the “Best Boxed Chocolates” in the United States.
Melissa Coppel founded her Chocolate and Confectionery School in 2016, eager to create a vibrant and inclusive space for chocolate and pastry enthusiasts. She balances teaching with the wholesale production of her acclaimed bonbons.
Join her in her classes as she shares with you her passion for the creative possibilities of chocolate.
“Knowledge doesn’t belong to you, it passes through you.”
-Melissa Coppel
