The Truth About Stephanie Norcio From School Of Chocolate

"School of Chocolate" is a new Netflix contest/documentary/showcase featuring Pastry Academy expert host and judge Amaury Guichon. Chef Guichon could be considered a protege in pastry, rising to the level of executive chef in France at the tender age of 21 (via Pastry Academy). Continuing both his international cooking and study, Chef Guichon has been cooking in the United States since 2013 and is now bringing his artistry and expertise into our homes, as well as to eight talented pastry chefs from across the world (via Delish).

Unlike many other cooking shows, viewers describe "School of Chocolate" as emphasizing learning and positivity. While there are no eliminations, there are still bragging rights for gaining a win. Where a student may not at first succeed, Guichon channels his mentorship some describe as reminiscent of Tim Gunn to turn failure into a learning opportunity for success.

An honor simply to be chosen, each chef and student brings an already impressive resume. Stephanie Norcio is one of these talented chefs, and here is what you need to know.

Chef Norcio is a graduate of the Le Cordon Bleu in Pasadena and a veteran with experience as a culinary coordinator, chef instructor, and executive pastry chef at multiple locations, including the Hotel Emma (via LinkedIn). She is currently listed in the trade of Product Development at Distinct Indulgence Inc, as well as for brand 6Viand, a maker of high-quality CBD edibles, according to her Instagram page. For those who are familiar with cannabis-based edibles, this often involves using some highly expert knowledge in, you guessed it, chocolate.

Chef Norcio was invited to the 2018 James Beard Celebrity Chef Tour as a participant and prior to the pandemic was also Executive Pastry Chef at The Strand House in Manhattan Beach (via TV Shows Ace). A true professional, Norcio understands that she still has a lot to learn. Commenting on her experience with "School of Chocolate" she says, "The amount of knowledge and talents shown in this series by chef [Amaury Guichon] and my other classmates, is what I'm most excited for the world to see!!! I'm so honored to have gotten to work with all the talent involved" (via Instagram). Norcio's love of learning and food artistry is clearly demonstrated in all the great food she crafts and shares.

Chocolate is an absolute favorite for budding chocolatier Norcio. Sharing on a recent Instagram entry, the pastry chef posted her handcrafted chocolate pine tree forest with evergreen leaves and reddish trunks adding an old-fashioned holiday appeal. Captioning the photo, the chef said, "Me and my Mini Chocolate Pine Tree Forest!! Chocolate is by far my favorite form of art and product to work with!" Her feed is filled with sweet treats like bonbons and melted snowman snickerdoodles.

Norcio's chocolate work dates back long before her Netflix appearance, but she's thrilled to study under the masters. Commenting on the November 26 debut of this sweet new sensation, she shares, "This show has been years of hard work, dedication, blood, sweat and tears, for all of us involved in this incredible new [docu-series]. It will give you fun look inside the mind of our mentor [Amaury Guichon] and what it means to learn at ['School of Chocolate'] from master chocolatier [Amaury Guichon]. It's a [soft competition] with tons of [chocolate] to inspire all your [holiday baking]!" (via Instagram).

We have to share sweet pup Chloe in an adorable snap for summer 2019. Captions the talented chef and dog-lover, "I love being a dog Mom [my sweet girl] [the curious Chloe]" (via Instagram). You'll find many fun-looking photos of the chef enjoying the gorgeous California sunshine with friends and family as she clearly loves life both inside the kitchen and outside too. Sharing on her admiration of the people around her in early spring of 2020, Norcio wrote, "Be honest and truthful with yourself, take time for your health and always, always remember to love and be kind to yourself. Having a great circle of women around you really improves your quality of life. I'm very lucky to have some amazing women in mine, you know who you are!" (via Instagram).

Like the rest of us, 2020 wasn't the most adventurous time, but it's so sweet to see the love between friends, sisters, and mom helping us to feel like we know the real Norcio. As mom Connie comments on a throwback pic shared in December 2020, "Your AMAZING!! Every year that goes by – you take it to a higher level  can't wait to see where 2021 takes you LOVE MOMAGER" (via Instagram).

As many will share, knowledge and talent are always boosted by an excellent support system, and in Norcio's case this one feels filled with love. We're excited to follow this promising career on "School of Chocolate" and beyond.