Christopher Elbow

 After Christopher Elbow moved to Paris to help acclaimed chef Jean Joho open the Eiffel Tower Restaurant, he returned to Kansas City the following year and briefly resumed his role at Shiraz before accepting the pastry position at the American Restaurant. It was there he perfected his chocolate-making skills. He offered his creations to local markets, and, when demand swelled, he started his own company. "And when I started working with chocolates, I fell in love with it," he said.