Today we’d like to introduce you to Charity Teague.
Hi Charity, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up watching my mom make the most beautiful wedding cakes. She taught me everything I know about cake, and I knew for sure I’d have a little bakery one day. I went on to attend Culinary School in Albuquerque, New Mexico. During the pastry portion of the curriculum, we studied all of the classic techniques in pastry – breads, croissants, sugar work, and chocolate. I had absolutely no idea I would be bitten by the chocolate bug. It was my most favorite week of the semester!
While in school, I was fortunate to work for an incredible Pastry Chef, Darci Rochau, who further inspired me to work with chocolate. I later became the Pastry Chef for Tamaya Resort and Spa in New Mexico. There, I did all the chocolate amenities for the guests, competed locally and nationally in several chocolate competitions, and furthered my chocolate education at the French Pastry School in Chicago.
I left New Mexico and pursued a career with H-E-B’s Corporate Bakery. By day, I head up the sweet innovation for the bakery team, launching new cakes and petite sweets company-wide in more than 350 stores. When the sun sets, I switch gears and crank out small batch, artisan chocolates. What started as a tiny pop-up market inside of a flower shop has grown into hundreds of orders, amazing customers, and clients-turned-friends, with so many more beautiful things in planning on the horizon!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I started this company about a year before the pandemic started. Things were just starting to gain traction in February of 2020 and then came to a grinding halt. Like every other small business, I had to figure out how to continue on and grow in such a strange and unprecedented time. Slowly, business came back and started to grow again. It hasn’t been easy, but it’s definitely been worth it.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next, you can tell us a bit more about your business.
Charity Teague Confections specializes in hand-painted bonbons and crafted chocolate bars.
I use colorful cocoa butter to hand-paint each bonbon, focusing on using local and organic ingredients. I strive to continue to widen the eyes of chocolate lovers with my innovation and artful execution of my crafted chocolate bars and confections.
The chocolates have been featured in several bridal blogs and magazines and are often requested for corporate welcome gifts. I love taking local flavors and finding creative ways to incorporate them into the chocolate.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I love Houston most for its diverse food scene. I very much enjoy hunting down the hidden gems and hearing the locals tell you all about their favorite spots for brunch or dinner. When I’m in town, I’m googling the nearest Common Bond so I can grab some Kouign Amann before heading home!
What do I like least about Houston? The white-knuckle driving. I’ve never talked to God more than when I’m on the interstate in Houston. To be fair, I white-knuckle it in San Antonio, too! Specifically, I-35…
Contact Info:
- Website: www.charityteague.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charity_teague_confections/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/charity.teague.confections/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charityteague/
Image Credits
May Carlson Photography
Under the Sun Photography
