Ridgewood's Sook Pastry Creates Chocolate Line

Ridgewood’s Sook Pastry was “almost an immediate success,” but now its owners want Village residents to know about their newest venture: Sook Chocolate.

After wanting to open other Sook Pastry locations but being unsuccessful in finding a pastry chef, primary owner and pastry chef Keum-Sook Park and her husband Izzy Yanay decided the “natural extension was [a chocolate] factory.”

And when chocolatier Bertin Ventura, who also happened to train Park, was let go from NYC’s Payard Patisserie & Bistro, Yanay knew this was the right person for Sook Chocolate. But Yanay had competition, as everyone was after Ventura.

The chocolatier decided to go with Sook Chocolate, an accomplishment Yanay jokingly credits to his “charms and good looks.”

With a chocolatier in place, Sook Chocolate opened its Clifton factory in November under the direction of Ventura, using, as Yanay says, the most expensive chocolate out there: Valrhona.

Although using Valrhona chocolate makes all the difference, Yanay says there is no denying Ventura’s talent.

“[Ventura] is the ultimate professional,” Yanay said. “Nobody can do what he can do.”

Park and Ventura, who have been busy at the chocolate factory, created chocolate hearts and lips in a variety of colors for Valentine’s Day, which are available for purchase at Sook Pastry.

Although Yanay and Park are eager to let Village residents know about their latest venture, Yanay says it’s not for the money.

“I don’t need to make money. That’s not my goal,” Yanay said. “[The businesses] are for my wife.”

But if Sook Chocolate becomes a success, there might be another business in the couples’ future.

“If the chocolate would somehow justify itself, I would build a macaron factory,” Yanay said.

Sook Chocolate will offer Valentine’s Day hearts and lips in a variety of colors for a limited time at Sook Pastry.

For more information, visit Sook Chocolate and Sook Pastry.