the karat story

THE KARAT STORY

Founded in 2016, KARAT was formed from very humble beginnings in the basement kitchen of West Kelowna’s Mission Hill Winery.

With a few 3kg bags of top quality chocolate from Valrhona, and a few simple tools KARAT was created. With the support of friends, family, colleagues, and a caring community, the dream began to grow. Julian and the Karat team would gain notoriety for expanding, elevating and reviving Kelowna and the okanagan valley pastry scene.

KARAT has been focused on creating the freshest ,quality handmade confections, pastries and desserts , building lasting partnerships with local businesses and providing an artistic outlet for young chefs and chocolatiers along the way.

Karat is a small family-owned business dedicated to crafting delicious food with love. Our core values revolve around humility and gratitude, as we strongly believe in fostering a lasting connection with our community. With a relentless commitment to providing exceptional culinary experiences, we strive to create unique and flavorful dishes that satisfy both the palate and the soul. Our professional approach ensures that every aspect of our business, from the ingredients we use to our customer service, is of the highest standard. We take pride in serving our community and are grateful for the opportunity to bring joy to the table through our culinary creations.

KARAT’S work has been featured in Nuvo magazine, WestJet Magazine, The National Post, Chatelaine, Boulevard, Okanagan Living, Daily Courier, Pastry Arts North America , CW Magazine and various other publications across North America.

julian HELMAN,
karat’s chef/owner

Julian Helman, pastry chef, chocolatier, and owner/operator of KARAT is driven to create. His French training and culinary upbringing has had a profound impact on his work. – it has proven to be the foundation of his award winning creations, not just in style and technique , but also in its philosophy.  “Good food starts with good ingredients”

Julian a second generation pastry chef completed his formal culinary and pastry training at the Canadian “Culinary Institute of Canada” in Charlottetown, P.E.I. and further refined his chocolate and pastry skills at the famed “French Pastry School” in Chicago, USA and the “l’ecole Valrhona” in Tain l’Hermitage, France. Over the course of his career, he has worked a wide range of positions in various establishments, from Michelin-starred fine dining restaurants in Europe and Asia, hotels, pastry shops and bakeries.

Julian has competed and won at both a national and international level.

Julian uses his years of experience and training from both savory and sweet perspectives to conceptualize and craft unique chocolates and pastries using the best ingredients . Julian’s love for travel, nature, art, architecture, and design can be seen in works displayed in his shop.