On Saturday, Sept. 5, an echo of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory opened in Oak Park. Chocolat by Christina is a new brick-and-mortar chocolate school and event space at 902 S. Oak Park Ave.
Christina Nixon worked as an occupational therapist for 36 years before exploring chocolate making at Triton College. It was a way to give herself an outlet other than work, something to “feed her soul.” Soon she started selling her chocolates at farmers markets and local craft fairs.
Then she began traveling worldwide to increase her skill set. She studied in Belgium, Italy, France and with expert chocolatiers in Las Vegas. An idea formed of not only making chocolates for sale but also sharing the art of chocolate making in Oak Park.
Now that dream has become a reality.
“I want to make it accessible,” Nixon said. “I want it to be hands-on and not intimidating. There aren’t going to be any fancy machines here. Everything is hands-on, so that anyone who comes and takes a class, they can go home and do the exact same thing.”
For locals who came to the open house on her first day, the addition of a chocolate shop is very welcome.
“I love chocolate,” Rejeta Saunders said. “In the Southtown District. We don’t have chocolate. So, this is wonderful! You can come and make chocolate. You come and eat chocolate. You can buy chocolate and ship it out to your friends and your relatives. I just love it.”
Father and daughter Zach and Zofia Lobe were excited to see Nixon expand her chocolate horizons.
“We had bought some of her chocolates before at an Irving School craft fair, so we knew that everything is really tasty.” Zach Lobe said. “Since we live within walking distance, it was easy and sort of exciting to see what the location is. It’s fantastic.”
Classes will start at Chocolat by Christina within a month.
“We’ll have intro to chocolate – just basic learning how to temper chocolate,” Nixon said. “Then each one is another advanced level: how to create bonbons, how to make ganache. And the most advanced one is learning how to work with cocoa butter painting chocolate molds.”
Classes will be a maximum of 10 students at a time. Nixon will also host children’s parties for up to 10 guests.
She continues to serve clients with her custom chocolate creations made in the workshop as well. An upcoming creation for the River North Design District Walk will reflect the elements of the world: earth, sky, water and fire.
She was pleased to see so many people stopping by her grand opening.
“Just beyond my expectations,” Nixon said. “Maybe they will come back and take a class and that little peanut butter or caramel something that they tried here, they can learn to do the same thing at home. All you need is a thermometer, a double boiler or a microwave and you can do it.”