Meet Christine: Wife, Partner, Visual Designer, and Chief Taster (now 38):
“Brian opened my eyes to the world of cuisine, and fine chocolates. He’s a true artist in every sense of the word. From the freshest whole ingredients, he blends and balances flavors and colors with natural finesse.”

Meet Brian: Meticulous Artisan Chocolatier, Visionary, (still impishly young and doesn’t care about age; a Libra through and through, balance is his watchword in taste and in Life). A graduate of the California Culinary Academy, Brian worked fastidiously as a chef for 18 years at nationally recognized restaurants, bistros, hotels and clubs in the Midwest including the Nicollet Island Inn and Interlachen Country Club.

Often working 16-hour days, Brian discovered his passion was creating new dishes, and mastering the fine art of flavor harmony became a joyous obsession.

Still, McElrath was restless, and as the premium artisanal chocolate market was just emerging in the mid 1990’s, he sought to apply his culinary experience to unique confections.

Airbrushing with colored cocoa butter, layering flavors, artfully crafting new favorites from beloved classics, McElrath began to win awards for his breakthrough chocolates. Recognized on the Travel Channel as one of the foremost chocolatiers in the U.S., recipient of the Fancy Food Show award (the pinnacle of awards in the food world) for most outstanding new product and outstanding confection two years in a row, included on the Food Network’s Best Of…Chocolate Makers, voted Best Chocolate in the Twin Cities four years in a row… the list goes on.

And with a little help from Christine, his business partner Rick Shaeffer, and a team of dedicated chocolate artisans, Brian continues to create chocolates that showcase his individual style. “ I love going back to the traditional roots of classic ‘Grandma cooking’ from around the world and feel compelled to add my personal topspin. In a sense, I take century-old flavors and put them in a contemporary setting for everyone to enjoy.”

Today, B.T. McElrath loves coming to work each day — leading his team, sharing the laughter and having fun in an environment where everyone is committed and serious about what they do; and no shortcuts are taken, despite the festive atmosphere. Or perhaps because of it.

In Brian’s view, “It’s all a wheel. Everyone and everything is interrelated. I take each element, each step, incredibly seriously…there can be no errors; one can’t speed up the process or do things quickly because they have to be done the right way. “

And at the B.T. McElrath Chocolatier kitchens, housed in the original Betty Crocker R & D space, time-honored favorites and unique blends reveal Brian’s personal interpretation of flavor harmony and innovative proficiency.