Like all artists, Adam Turoni has his tools and techniques. Fine brushes for applying a golden dust. Torches whose flames brulée surfaces. Molds that replicate bees amid honeycombs. Piping bags to trace out hearts and blossoms. Turoni is a culinary artist, a young entrepreneur who makes some of the most coveted chocolates to be found—and tasted—anywhere on the market.

“An artist’s job is to tell the truth and the artist’s role is to capture your attention for as long as he’s asked for it,” says the thirty-one-year-old chocolatier from one of his two Savannah boutique stores that he established with business partner, Alexandra Trujillo de Taylor. With his chocolate creations and the novel atmospheres created by Trujillo de Taylor in which they are sold, the two are not only artists, but philosophers of chocolate. The dozens of varieties of truffles, bars, Florentine cookies, and seasonal treats they make reveal Turoni’s artistic goals, while the settings Trujillo de Taylor created in which they are presented foster an appetite among customers from around the world.

Ever since the two joined forces in 2011 to establish the brand, Chocolat by Adam Turoni, they have elevated the making and consuming of chocolate. “Chocolate is luxurious, but an attainable luxury,” says Trujillo de Taylor. “It’s rich, it’s decadent, no matter if it’s dark, milk, or white, but it’s an experience anyone can have.” Turoni adds, “One piece of chocolate can satisfy you. You don’t have to feel guilty for eating a piece as you might a big piece of cake. A single chocolate can make you feel special—the taste of it and the experience of it is something you can savor.”

This story appeared in the Summer 2020 issue of MILIEU. To read the complete story or to see all photos, visit the MILIEU Newsstand to purchase this issue in print or visit Zinio.com to purchase this issue in digital format.

WRITTEN BY DAVID MASELLO