Cookbook Review: For the Love of Chocolate

Baking has always been one of my happy places, especially when it comes to anything involving chocolate. Phillip Ashley Rix’s cookbook, For the Love of Chocolate: 80 At-Home Recipes from a Master Chocolatier’s Imagination (Harper Celebrate) however, completely redefined what I thought chocolate could be. It stretches the imagination in the best way possible, proving there are no limits to this ingredient’s versatility. At first glance, the pages offer familiar comforts, such as an assortment of chocolate truffles and classic brownies—but deeper in, you’ll discover how chocolate can even elevate something as unassuming as a sweet potato.

Flipping through the pages, it’s immediately clear how much passion and imagination went into this masterpiece of a cookbook. Aesthetically, it feels a bit like stepping into Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory—only this time, it’s infused with Rix’s own signature flair. Rix shares how a vivid dream led him to discover his calling as a chocolatier, a moment that set the bar high and propelled him toward becoming one of the best in the craft. Having learned his way around the kitchen from his grandmother Jean, Rix places family at the heart of everything he does. That love and influence shine through in the way he runs his Memphis-based business and designs his incredible recipes—many of which were created as heartfelt tributes to the people who inspired him to chase his dreams (quite literally).