Our Heritage
Inspired Chocolates Handcrafted in the Heart of Napa Valley
As almost all good things do, Le Belge began in a family kitchen. When Huguette Dumas resettled to the Bay Area with her husband in 1983, she was dismayed to learn that American truffles of the day were stodgy and bland. Not at all like the rich, refined treasures she had loved as a girl in Belgium and France.
So, Huguette sent home for blocks of authentic Belgian chocolate, rolled up her sleeves, and got to work–turning out traditional filled chocolates that appealed to her refined Parisian palate and left her family and friends clamoring for more. A few food editors caught wind of Huguette’s at-home atelier, and soon The Ritz in San Francisco was inquiring about her irresistible truffles for their guests. Le Belge was born.
As Huguette’s truffles became the preferred confections of high-end hoteliers across the country, Le Belge’s singular focus on quality led to eye-opening collaborations with our neighbor growers and chefs in Napa Valley.
Inspired by Napa’s slow food ethos and avant-garde culinary milieu, Le Belge moved in and began to create innovative indulgences for the region’s renowned kitchens, vineyards, and hotels. Soon gourmands from all over were falling in love with our locally inspired Belgian treats, and Le Belge chocolates became indispensable treasures of wine country.
Today, Le Belge is the chocolatier par excellence in a region known for gustatory exceptionalism, trusted by dozens of esteemed local wineries and hotels to craft unique confections that bring out the best qualities of Napa’s varietals. We remain a small batch, family-run chocolatier, and our devotion to artisanal ingredients, traditional techniques, and sumptuous surprise is just as strong as Huguette’s. Savor one of our exquisite Napa-born Belgian chocolates today, and see for yourself.
Our Chef
Maître Chocolatier Chef Sebastien Beline
Chef Sebastien Beline grew up in Le Mans, France, immersed in the bustle and joy of his family’s fourth generation chocolate shop. As a boy, Chef Beline learned the art of chocolate making from his father, later perfecting his craft at the legendary Patisserie Laduree in Paris. Chef Beline has been awarded numerous times, and has been named a Top 25 Chocolate Maker in the definitive Guide des Croqueurs de Chocolat. Today, Chef Beline still prepares his ingredients by hand in the traditional French style, and spends his days dreaming up irresistible recipes inspired by the unique terroir of the Napa Valley.
Our Creations
At Le Belge, we collaborate with local growers, chefs and vintners to infuse our small-batch Belgian chocolates with the gifts of Napa’s unrivaled terroir. Our unique indulgences embody our deep reverence for tradition, our abiding connection to the land, and our passion for inventive surprise. As Napa Valley’s premier boutique chocolatier, we are devoted to crafting exquisite chocolate experiences you won’t find anywhere else on earth.
Our Standard
Belgian Chocolate
Pure
Handcrafted
In the French Tradition
Locally Sourced
& Inspired Ingredients
