About Us

A Brief History of The Hot Chocolatier

Upon moving back to their native hometown of Chattanooga, Wendy and Brandon Buckner wanted to introduce the area to experiences they had gathered from various cities where they had lived or visited while either attending school or traveling abroad. After visiting a number of shops & production facilities in Paris, France, and Belgium as part of a travel/study grant, Wendy and Brandon felt that Chattanooga needed something of an artisan chocolate/gourmet dessert boutique-style shop to call their own. These kinds of shops exist in San Francisco, New York, Chicago, and Atlanta; so why not in Chattanooga too? After considering their options, Wendy and Brandon Buckner started The Hot Chocolatier in 2008 inside the Tennessee Small Business Development Center located along the NorthShore area of downtown Chattanooga. 

In August, 2011, The Hot Chocolatier moved to Chattanooga’s Southside and opened their first proper retail shop/working-kitchen at the corner of Main and Williams Street. With the move came some great changes; such as a split kitchen to allow hot and cold items to be made at the same time. The Hot Chocolatier’s menu expanded beyond truffles and bonbons to in-house gourmet pastries, desserts, and chocolate/espresso/coffee drinks.

In Spring of 2014, the shop re-located to 1437 Market Street, directly across from the historic Chattanooga Choo-Choo Hotel. This location offered The Hot Chocolatier more retail space and seating for customers looking to treat themselves. In August 2024, The Hot Chocolatier moved the Market Street location down a few storefronts to 1423 Market Street.

The First of May 2023 marked a very special day as The Hot Chocolatier expanded with a second location into the historic St Elmo area - adjacent to downtown Chattanooga. Chocolate production moved into the St Elmo facility and pastry production increased to meet the needs of both shops. Since 2023, The Hot Chocolatier has become part of St Elmo’s tight-knit community and loves the journey it has made to becoming the Chattanooga area’s dessert destination. (Having just said this, it should be noted that both locations of The Hot Chocolatier now offers “pre-dessert” soups and sandwiches daily.)

Wendy Buckner: owner, chocolatier, & pastry chef, received her training at The French Pastry School in Chicago, IL. Wendy worked in several prominent patisseries and chocolate kitchens before developing The Hot Chocolatier. She also brings her training as a visual artist to her culinary experience.
Brandon Buckner: co-owner & chocolatier, received a MFA in Painting from The University of Iowa, Iowa City. Brandon has designed the logo, packaging, website, and promotional pieces throughout the years. As a small business owner, he can often be found working under a piece of equipment or on a ladder with tools in his hands.

The Hot Chocolatier would like to thank their hard-working employees, friends & family (who continue to freely volunteer their time when needed), and our local patrons who continue to spread the good news about good chocolate!