Saint Jacques Chocolat

Chef Max McConaghay & The Legend of Saint Jacques

Business owner, Chef Max McConaghay is a Maitre Chocolatier, Maitre Caramelier, Food Safety Manager and Registered Dietitian with over 25 years of experience in the food industry. In 2011, Max created Saint Jacques Chocolat. She brings her culinary training obtained in Japan, Italy and France and combines that with her expertise as a certified Food Safety Manager and Registered Dietitian. Saint Jacques Chocolat provides some of the most delicious handcrafted, artisan and French inspired confections. 

 The Legend of Saint Jacques
Saint Jacques lived during the reign of the French King, Louis XIII (1610-1643). As a young boy, Jacques could be seen in the early morning hours carrying freshly harvested cacao pods to the king’s kitchen. It was the seeds from this magical fruit that Jacques fermented, roasted and ground together to make chocolate. Queen Anne of Austria, King Louis' wife had a great admiration for this young boy's enthusiasm for chocolate and asked him to join her kitchen staff in creating the finest chocolate recipes for the French Court. Jacques honorably accepted the queen’s invitation and with each new delight Jacques created, the queen would share with the king for his approval. These sweet treats brought much happiness to the brokenhearted couple who had struggled for 23 years to bring forth an heir to the throne. It was soon after the introduction of Jacques’ chocolate creations to the royal couple, that the queen became pregnant and bore an heir to the throne. It was said that after the miraculous birth of their son, the king advocated for Jacques’ sainthood and from hence forward he would be known as the patron saint of chocolat.

At Saint Jacques Chocolat, we continue the legend by proudly offering the finest quality handcrafted chocolates and confections in honor of his name. Saint Jacques continues to bring us miracles today in the form of these fine artisan confections. Enjoy and share these confections. You never know to whom the next miracle will come… Read More