Visitors fascinated with classroom element of Lakeside Village shop
At 10 am on Thursday, September 18, approximately 50 members of Retail Confectioners International (RCI) descended en masse on The Touring Chocolatier in Lakeside Village.
With the organization’s Fall Regional Conference in Dallas, members came to visit the operations of the innovative shop. Its highly respected owner, Kay Thibodeaux, has an industry-wide reputation for developing and producing chocolate candies.
The Touring Chocolatier’s hand-painted bonbons stand out. Layers of thoughtful flavor pairings lie inside each. Seasonal collections like “Freedom Fireworks” for July or “Hot Desert Night,” inspired by the Dubai chocolate craze, showcase Thibodeaux’s creativity. She offers limited-edition flavors and custom creations for weddings, birthdays and corporate gifts monthly.
The confectioners toured every inch of the store. The classroom space attracted special attention. Here, Thibodeaux, who earned her chocolatier certification from Ecole Chocolat in 2017, teaches classes on truffle-making, wine/chocolate pairings, and more. (Thibodeaux first began teaching truffle-making out of her home in 2015.)
Thibodeaux’s expanding mission also intrigued the confectioners.
“My heart is still in chocolate,” she explained. “But our growth reflects a deeper mission: creating memorable experiences through storytelling, craftsmanship and connection.”
The November 2024 opening of the store in Lakeside Village played a big role.
“An incredible team made the opening possible,” Thibodeaux added. “We constantly learn from one another, support each other’s growth, and share a true sense of pride in our work.”
What had been display cases full of candies and baked goods were empty by the conclusion of the visit by RCI attendees.
Then it was time for the visitors to return to the bus for the short trip to Los Caminos for lunch.
