THE SWEET LIFE

A MINI-MOGUL SAVORS SUCCESS

Katrina Markoff, the C.E.O. of the eco-friendly, organic-luxury-chocolate house Vosges Haut-Chocolat, likes to tell stories of her global wanderings through truffles flavored with everything from wasabi and wild fennel pollen to Himalayan goji berries and Japanese goat cheese. In just 10 years, the Chicago native, who has five Vosges boutiques, in Chicago, New York, and Las Vegas (with plans for Japan), and a Web site, has built a sweet empire that grossed $12 million in sales in 2007 and will near $20 million in 2008.

After apprenticing under chef Ferran Adria at Spain’s renowned elBulli in 1996, Markoff spent nine months trekking east, seeking culinary inspiration. The idea of exotic truffles came to her after she found a tiger-tooth necklace from the Indian Naga tribe. She paid homage to it by infusing chocolate with curry and coconut. At that moment a company was born. This month, Vosges introduces its Curious Contemplation of Fermentation Through the Rational Study of Cheese & Chocolate line. Of this experiential collection, a $300 bamboo coffret complete with cheeses, chocolates, black fermented garlic, and rye berries, Markoff explains, “I’m sort of an alchemist on a quest for the next new flavor fusion.”

OLIVIA STRAND

FOR DETAILS, SEE CREDITS PAGE