10 Things You Need to Know About Steven Hodge

Posted by Denette Wilford on February 24, 2020

If you live in Vancouver, you might already be familiar with Steven Hodge, owner of Temper Chocolate & Pastry. Chocolate lovers from all around the country can experience the masterful delights of the chocolatier and pâtissier by watching him as an expert judge on Great Chocolate Showdown. To get to know Steven even better, here are 10 things you need to know about the new face to Food Network Canada.

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His Sweet Start

His mother owned a bakery, so <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.ca/shows/great-chocolate-showdown/bios/steven-hodge/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Steven Hodge</a>'s love of sweet things came early on in life, but his passion for pastry came later. He was 21 when he started studying at the California School of Culinary Arts, where a chef told him how difficult pastry is to master. Hodge took that warning as a challenge and ran with it and, well, look where he is now.
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Classic Bakes

His favourite thing to make? A classic croissant, complete with honeycomb effect, flaky exterior and nice, soft and melt-in-the-mouth once pulled apart.
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All Business

Before his culinary education began, he actually was working towards a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, all while playing football at Whittier College in California. He lasted just a day working as a discount broker before realizing his true passion.
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Around the World

Post-culinary school, the classically French-trained chef remained in California and apprenticed at Wolfgang Puck Catering and Porto’s Bakery. But the lure of sweets stuck with Hodge and he moved back to Vancouver where he worked as the executive pastry chef for the Glowbal Restaurant Group. He then trained with Dominic Jerry at Sugar Art in Richmond, B.C., and that's where he learned how to create gorgeous confections with sugar and chocolate (like <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.ca/shows/great-chocolate-showdown/video/webisode/how-to-coat-chocolate-with-the-panning-method/video.html?v=821fb748-484d-11ea-8848-968976d50ae6" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">these beautiful coated chocolates</a>, for example). From there he headed to London for three years, where he worked as a pastry chef at Le Caprice, then The Wolseley and, finally, the three-Michelin Star Restaurant Gordon Ramsay.
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Steven's Signature Dish

Steven's signature dish, The Charlie (or the Charlie Bites) are named after his eldest daughter. Charlie Bites are a delectable cinnamon pastry with layers of flaky goodness to bite into.
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Leaders of the Pack

Steven has worked under pastry chefs around the world. His mentors during his time in London was Pastry Chef Regis Negrier and then in Vancouver Chef John Lewis, who now works as an instructor in Vancouver Community College.
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Canada is Home

Hodge may call B.C. home but he's originally from London, Ontario. But growing up in Dundarave, a seaside village in West Vancouver, he knew that's where his passion for chocolate would really take took off and he opened his own shop, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/temperpastry/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Temper Chocolate & Pastry</a>, in 2013.
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The Name of the Game

According to Hodge, "Temper" has a double meaning. Aside from chocolate being tempered, chefs are notorious for their bad ones. We'll take his word for it.
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A Man of Many Culinary Talents

His full-time job is all about the finesse of baking but Steven also loves to hunt and fish. His favourite way to cook at home is to light up the <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.ca/bbq/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">grill for a barbecue</a>. Cooking simple dishes with fresh ingredients is key for Chef Steven.
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More Than Just Chocolate

Hodge loves working with fresh fruit at Temper, including rhubarb and peaches, thanks to his mom's pies while growing up. He created a caramelized puff pastry that consists of a light vanilla Bavarian cream and candied rhubarb that cooks in apple cider vinegar, so it's both sweet and tart. With peaches, the shop offers light and fresh brioche galettes with wedges of the fruit and a pastry cream.
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