Chef Gloria Poletti is seen with some tasty treats created in her kitchen and ready for people to enjoy. Thompson Goddard Photo

CHESTERVILLE – Glorious Chocolates, Cakes & Catering is a local business run by Chef Gloria Poletti.  Over the past two years, Poletti has been cooking and baking a selection of sweet and savory products for customers to enjoy at her Joseph Street location.

“I specialize in Italian and Canadian cuisine, both sweet and savory mostly made from scratch.” explained Poletti. Her menu, available on the company’s website, provides an extensive list of dishes available to purchase.  She mentioned her sweet items include such favourites as butter tarts, turnovers, brownies, canolli, sfogliatelli, sponge cakes and Italian rum cakes and so much more.  Other sweet treats include chocolate nut clusters, dipped pretzels, chocolate bars and licorice. Lasagna, meatballs, sausages, salads, soups and wraps are among the savory items available.

Poletti’s culinary training began in her early years, mentioning she cooked with her parents which she described as “fantastic cooks” and her first teachers.  As a young adult she spent nine years working with her sister in the bakery and enjoyed the artistic side to cake decorating with skills she developed while working there.  Eventually she studied under Chef Steve Weymess, and during her apprenticeship with him, refined her culinary skills and became a chocolatier under his guidance.

After working for Chef Weymess for nine years, she worked at a small Jewish kosher restaurant and continued to develop her culinary skills. Her time at this restaurant provided Poletti with an opportunity to work with substituting ingredients and adapting to their roles when baking and cooking.  She relocated to Chesterville a few years later and in 2022 opened her business here.  One of the best things about running your own business is the ability to make decisions without having to “run it by anyone,” said Poletti.

There are always challenges to be faced when running a new business, with Poletti noting how it can be difficult to develop a client base without a storefront. Providing clients with a good product and ensuring customer satisfaction are stepping stones to developing the business. “I have been getting fantastic feedback. Customers like my products, I have repeat customers and they tell other people so it’s picking up.” she explained. She has also developed a loyalty program “where after 10 purchases of $45, the next one is 25% off.”

For those considering starting their own business, Poletti suggests it is a lot of work and a costly undertaking.  “It pays off in the end, you just have to make sure you really want it because it does take an abundant time and effort.”  She took a moment to thank customers for their support and “will continue to do my best to serve the community.

More information is available on the company website, located at www.gloriouschocolatescakesandcatering.com or Facebook page, facebook.com/gloriousccc.

 

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