Jacques Torres

Who He Is

Jacques Torres is a French chocolatier and pastry chef known for bringing playful, high-quality chocolate making into the public eye. Born in Algiers in 1959 and raised in Bandol, a fishing village in southern France, Torres trained in classic French pastry before becoming, at age 26, the youngest pastry chef at the time to receive the Meilleur Ouvrier de France, one of the country's highest honors for culinary craftsmanship. He later moved to the United States, opened his own chocolate shops in New York City, and became a familiar face to many kids and families as a judge on the baking competition show Nailed It! Torres is known for pairing rigorous technique with a real sense of fun, often experimenting with unusual chocolate flavors and shapes.

Why He Matters

Jacques Torres shows that mastering a serious, technical craft doesn't mean losing your sense of play. His career blends decades of disciplined training with real joy in creating chocolate that makes people smile, whether it is a chocolate-covered treat or an elaborate holiday sculpture. For young people, Torres is proof that a career built on precision and hard work can still feel like play.