Compartes Flaunt Magazine Article Specialty Gourmet Chocolate  Jonathan Grahm, Compartes Chocolatier Los Angeles

The Aztecs believed that chocolate was food for the gods, and today chocolate has regained its crown at Compartes Chocolatier, where Jonathan Grahm creates treats that take a hint from the past but with roots firmly in the present.

Grahm's decadent chocolate truffles, ranging from the rosewater-infused dark chocolate to the savory sichimi spice, are all handcrafted from locally sourced, all-natural ingredients.

"I feel like I am an artist and the chocolates are my canvas," Grahm says, standing behind the flass display case in his store. It is a clear treasure chest of sweets. Red Scottish plaid, regimental-necktie stripes, dainty hearts, and skulls 'n' cross-bones adorn special truffles.

While Compartes Chocolatier is a Brentwood institution, having served sweets for more than a half a century to dignitaries and celebs alike, Grahm infuses the Compartes name with a youthful vision. After all, he was 19 when he first took the reigns as chocolatier. Grahm is the center of all the churning, mixing, planning, shipping and selling at Compartes, and now, at 23, business is burgeoning because of his exploration of sensual flavors and astute eye for the hip.

"I wanted the store to be in tune with fashion, and I wanted to make chocolates that could change with the seasons," he says, about being the store's heart, head, and hands.