From lawyer to chocolatier, Joshua Becker is working to make life sweeter across Central Illinois.
Chocolatiers are individuals who use their skills to create a variety of chocolate confections. Chocolate itself has its roots in pre-Columbian Latin America. Chocolate is made from the fruit of the cacao tree, which is native to Central and South America. Spanish explorers introduced chocolate to Europe in the 1500s. Prior to the 1800s, chocolate was generally enjoyed as a beverage. The first chocolate bar was created by a British chocolatier in 1847 and other confections soon followed.
Joshua Becker grew up in a small farm town, LaMoille, in Bureau County. He graduated from Illinois Valley Community College and Illinois State University with a degree in business. This led him to a job in sales, but his path soon shifted to law school. After graduating from Chicago Kent College of Law in 2000, Becker was in private practice, but this was not where his passions lay.
Becker’s passion was baking and cooking, and he had the idea of becoming a chocolatier. Becker’s wife, Dr. Cecile Becker, currently a neurologist at Springfield Clinic, is Dutch. Cecile came to Illinois in high school as an exchange student. Joshua and Cecile met and started dating, which resulted in Joshua studying as an exchange student in the Netherlands after Cecile’s time in the U.S. was over. It was as an exchange student in the Netherlands that Joshua fell in love with chocolate.
As Becker built a successful law practice, the idea of becoming a chocolatier remained. Cecile and the Beckers’ three children recognized this and supported it. In fact, at one point, Cecile created a poster board presentation in an attempt to convince her husband to pursue his dream, and it worked. In 2012, Becker left the practice of law to study at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in St. Louis, earning a certification in Patisserie and Baking. Becker opened Cocoa Blue Chocolates on December 5, 2013.
Cocoa Blue, located on East Main Street in Rochester, provides superb handcrafted treats for people of all ages. Staples include truffles, clusters, turtles, caramels, bark, and ice cream. Becker often gets creative with small batches of featured truffles in unique flavors. In addition to its regular offerings, Cocoa Blue is known for its special holiday creations, including specialty caramel apples in the fall. Currently, Cocoa Blue has chocolate Turkey Lollies to sweeten Thanksgiving celebrations. Cocoa Blue’s Christmas offerings include chocolate Santas, peanut butter Christmas trees, and peppermint bark. Follow Cocoa Blue Chocolates on Facebook for updates on current features. The shop is open Tuesday through Saturday.
For more information about Cocoa Blue Chocolates, please visit www.cocoabluechocolates.com.
