How does being a Gulf War veteran help you be a better chocolatier? Listen to Episode 74 to meet Tim Gearhart!
Chocolate Work. With Peanut Butter and Community. Meet Tim Gearhart of Gearhart's Fine Chocolates, otherwise known as the Willie Wonka of Charlottesville! The theme of this episode is Ahead of the Curve and how that can help your business tremendously. In Tim's case, his Nostradamus ability to foresee trends paired with his passion have helped Gearhart's to not only become a beloved Charlottesville institution but has expanded his reach to the national level. You can now find Gearhart's on Amazon!
Tim’s passion for pastry switched over to chocolate because of a "perfect storm" as he describes it, one that affected him nationally, professionally, and personally. At the time he'd just opened Hamilton's with Bill Hamilton. When he mused one afternoon about how fun it would be to open a chocolate shop, Bill replied, "I'm in!" The rest is history. Gearhart's Fine Chocolates just celebrated 16 years in business and their new, expanded location with coffee and PASTRY opened last year. There's even a window where you can watch Charlottesville's own Oompa Loompa's hard at work creating culinary confections.
Gearhart's uses eight different varieties of chocolate, never purchasing a disc from a company he doesn't know or trust. The Fair Trade designation? A little foggy, similar to the organic label. Often questionable, not always reliable. A better way is to look locally for items like peaches or honey. Do a lot of homework. Ask a lot of questions. Tim's palate and eye for creation is extraordinary. He's got an uncanny skill of figuring out what flavors go with what. If you've had his Malted Caramels, meant to be eaten with beer, or his Earl Grey Tea chocolates, or his Miso Caramels, you know exactly what I mean.
And it's not just about chocolate! Tim is a strong advocate for community initiatives and fundraising for folks who need it. When I announced The Big Love Bakesale fundraising initiative, Tim was one of the first ones to step forward and donate an 8-person chocolate tour. His Peanut Butter Pups raise money for veterans with PTSD. The story behind how these whimsical chocolates were created is so heartwarming and another great example of how local businesses in Charlottesville include social entrepreneurship as part of their mission. Tim is a Gulf War veteran himself. How does his military background as a Marine benefit and inform his chosen career? Attention to detail, consistency. You have to be a little OCD to be a chocolatier and being a Marine helped with that aspect of it.
We talk about that new generation of chefs coming up and how Food Network keeps perpetuating that myth of an easy ride. We even talk hockey. A terrific episode and a big reason why Gearhart's is not just my favorite chocolate shop, but my new favorite coffee shop.
