Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lisa Caroline Toon. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Lisa Caroline, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

Risk is scary. The last thing you want to do is fail. I think everyone at one time or another takes a risk. It can be as simple as tasting something new, starting a new job, or as big as investing a heap of money and praying it will pay off. What I get out of risk is the thrill of making the attempt and the possibility of a good outcome. I am no gambler. and I think I lean more on the conservative side of risk. Call it naivete. or gutsy, I love a challenge.

After 15 years as a Junior High School teacher, I needed a new creative outlet. Something that made me feel innovative, a new direction. I had always loved cooking. Weekends were a culinary adventure with new recipes, new ingredients and spectacular flavors. I had been talking about a culinary career for a few years. It consumed my every thought. As I approached my 15th school year of teaching, I suggested that I would like to move into culinary. My husband said he would think about it, since our income would change. Months later, as a surprise, he walked in with a new chef’s coat, embroidered with my name. He said if you are going to do it, do it looking good. I consider that one of the most loving gestures of our marriage. Such support and confidence from your partner, friends, or family certainly is a benefit to reaching your goal.

That was the beginning of my culinary career. During the 7 months left in the school year. I investigated culinary schools, budgeted for the income changes, looked for loans, rescheduled our family regimen, started working out so I was prepared for the physicality of the new routine. Personally, I still feel to this day, that those 7 months were crucial to my success as a chef and caterer. The education was worthwhile of course, but mentally, I had to be secure in feeling that all the parameters were set so I could concentrate on reaching my goal.

Lisa Caroline, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hello, I am Lisa Caroline Jaimes-Toon. Born and raised in Mesa AZ. Graduate of ASU, NAU, and SCC Culinary in 2004. After 15 years teaching in Mesa, I went into culinary as a chef and caterer. Lisa’s Catering and Cakes provided personal service from small intimate parties to full on weddings, reunions, and corporate events. My services included creating the menu, rentals, flowers and staffing. It was always one on one with my clients and only one event at a time. I was proud of the reputation I had garnered from my hard work and felt very successful in my career. 15 years go by and the wear and tear on my joints was really starting to become noticeable. Chocolate had been interrupting my thoughts for a good year. Seriously, over and over chocolate was coming at me from all angles. In 2014, I played around with making a few flavors of chocolate candy with chili. I had to think about what I knew about chocolate, what were my references? I thought about the flavors of my grandmother’s cooking. The flavors of our Mexican heritage. I passed out samples to my friends and family. I got precarious responses about the heat. I went out into the market and found nothing like it. In 2015, I came across a picture of my grandmother, my mentor and inspiration in all things culinary. I would name the chocolate brand after her. In 2016 I made labels, priced based on the market and started cold calling. I got two customers that year. I was knocking on doors, calling, leaving samples, making contacts, joining groups such as Local First and AZ Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. On January 4th 2017, I get the call I had been hoping for, AJ’s fine foods called willing to give me a try. Since then, with continued cold calling, working the festival schedules, attempting all the social media aspects, Carolina’s Chocolate is in over 40 stores in the state.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Creating Carolina’s Chocolate was not my intention. It was more of an intrigue. I was still catering, so I had little risk, other than the funds I used to buy supplies. The lack of clients the first year was a bit disheartening, but I’m a fool for punishment so I kept on making calls. I had to get the product in people’s mouths. When asked to do demo’s I always said yes. Donations to a cause, silent auction gifts, brides, associations, you name it, I provided chocolate. Once the demand became too much for me to continue manufacturing, I found a local manufacturer to make the candy for me. It was very difficult to hand my creation over to another. You have to be willing to trust, communicate, and stop micromanaging. You actually become a team. That team effort got me through Covid. Supplies were difficult to come by. Shipping came to a standstill. Carolina’s Chocolate was on a rocket trajectory at the start of 2020, as so many businesses were, and then it all stopped. “Pivot” was the new term for the year. Small communities in the outer cities were still allowing festivals so I signed up. Carolina’s Chocolate showed a very small growth for 2020, but I survived. Crazy that Carolina’s Chocolate is my company. It was just a side hustle. I didn’t think anything would actually come of it. But as it grew, I had to close Lisa’s Catering and Cakes in September of 2019 to give Carolina’s Chocolate 110% of my attention. As for now, I’m still cold calling and waiting to see where it goes next.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Carolina’s Chocolate story is real. Chocolate is a part of the Mexican culture. The use of chili and spices in chocolate is as old as the Aztec and Mayan civilizations. Chili acts just like salt, it softens the bitterness, enhances the depth of flavor and actually makes it sweeter without adding sugar. These flavors have been passed down ever since. A pinch of Cayenne and cinnamon makes for a luxurious and intriguing flavor. Mexican hot chocolate is my Christmas at my Nana’s house. When I considered creating a chocolate candy, I made what was familiar.
Adding any chili to milk chocolate doesn’t work. A balance of heat, bitterness, and sweetness has to be found.
Carolina was a great cook, and until I was forced to go to first grade, I enjoyed my first years by her side in her kitchen. I was privy to all her wonderful flavors, and with that education I recreated her flavors from my memories with her in chocolate. It wasn’t until I came across her picture in an album that I realized her influence on me and my culinary abilities. That’s when I decided to put her picture on the label and give her the credit by naming the company after her.
Each picture says something about the flavor of the chocolate. For instance, Carolina is on the Spicy Sonoran label. Spicy Sonoran is the traditional Mexican Hot Chocolate flavor. She is my Mexico. Jalisco Jalapeno with my distinguished grandfather, Jesus M. Garcia, loved his fresh green salsa everyday. He is on the label that has green chili. By telling this story, expressing my grandmother’s cooking and flavors through the chocolate recipes I have made, provides a journey for the consumer. They are savoring history, culture and love.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.carolinaschocolate.com
• Instagram: Carolinaschocolate
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chocolatewithspice/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-toon-07a41920/

Image Credits
Carolina’s Chocolate labels Carolina’s Chocolate Sales Team, Garcia Cousins Daughter Eva helping sell. Best Of Phoenix 2019 Carolina’s Chocolate Assembly table Carolina’s Chocolate Bow Tying Team