From Dirty Jobs to Craft Dark Chocolate: The Unexpected Path to Dick Taylor's Small-Batch Bars

Steve Fiore
Jul 28
4 min read

Updated: Sep 16

Single Origin
Hand Crafted
Small Batch
Bean-to-Bar

How It All Started

Welcome to my chocolate journey! If you’ve ever wondered what makes craft chocolate so special, this story is for you.

Let me take you back to where it all began—trucks, TV shows, and one unforgettable bar of chocolate. My middle son, Michael, had a love for anything truck-related. We watched countless episodes of garbage and fire trucks on DVD. As he grew older, we started taping and enjoying Mike Rowe’s TV show, Dirty Jobs. We became fans of Mike Rowe, watching his adventures over and over again.

Discovering Dick Taylor Chocolate

Fast forward to the fall of 2014. I was at a technology conference where Mike Rowe was the keynote speaker. He had just wrapped up his long-running tenure on Dirty Jobs and was starting a new show called Somebody’s Gotta Do It on CNN. Mike shared stories about Dirty Jobs and introduced the unique co-founders of Dick Taylor Chocolates, Adam Dick and Dustin Taylor. These two carpenters decided one day to make chocolate. Their first manufacturing site was in a lumber yard, but they have since moved to Eureka, CA.

That moment inspired me to order my first bar of chocolate from them. I fell in love with it! Here is the 15-minute episode if you’d like to watch it. You’ll get a real sense of the uniqueness and passion of Adam and Dustin. My hope is to someday visit their store. I keep trying to get them to host virtual tasting sessions, like the ones they do in-store.

YouTube. Mike Rowe- Somebody's Gotta Do It TV Show- Featuring Dick Taylor Chocolate

How to Enjoy Craft Chocolate

Each day, typically after lunch and dinner, I grab a piece of chocolate to savor. I even started traveling with it! But as you can imagine, this isn’t the kind of chocolate most kids like. It’s not from the famous brand in Pennsylvania. To get the most out of your experience, unwrap the chocolate, close your eyes, and smell it. Then, bring it to your ear to hear the signature snap of perfectly tempered chocolate. Only now should you place it on your tongue and let it slowly melt. Resist the urge to bite it. Let it melt in your mouth to fully experience the taste.

My Favorite Bars

My two favorites are the Belize and Madagascar chocolates. I usually buy them in bulk—5 to 10 at a time. I also mix in a few different varieties with each order. Each month, they offer a limited-edition bar that sometimes catches my interest, prompting a special purchase. My other go-to favorites include the Black Fig bar, which has bits of California Black Mission Figs, and the Dark Chocolate Coated Almonds.

My current personal collection of Dick Taylor chocolates bars.

Expanding My Chocolate Use

It’s been about 10 years since I started buying Dick Taylor bean-to-bar craft chocolates. Recently, I began exploring both the Nibs and the Baking Chocolate. I find the Nibs are fantastic for my acai and granola bowls (if I liked yogurt, they’d be great in that too). My interest in using the baking chocolate was driven by a desire to make better chocolate chip cookies—like the rich, tasty ones from bakeries or restaurants. In another post, I’ll share how I upgraded my flour to complement the new baking chips.

Visiting a Cacao Farm

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit a cacao farm. It was a vacation I’ll never forget! I watched as the guide broke open a cacao pod, allowing us to eat the fruit and then the bean. The tour deepened my understanding of the care and passion these small farmers and craft chocolate makers invest in creating the amazing products we enjoy.

Start Your Own Chocolate Journey

If you’re curious to start your own chocolate journey, I’ve listed my favorite bars above. Give one a try and let me know your thoughts in the comments!