“If you can’t get this, then we’ll have to find somebody else to do the work. You have to lightly dab your finger on top. Hold still… Like this. See?”
“How do you do it so softly? My finger sinks in every time I try.”
“Let me take a look. Okay, try again please. That’s your problem—see? It’s more of an arc that your finger travels before dolloping the top of the truffle.”
“Yeah, I know. But how do you aim your finger so well?”
“It’s only practice, dedication, and pride in your work, and it’s apparent you have little of any of them—especially the third.”
“Ma’am, I’m here to do the work.”
“Good. I don’t have all day to coach you on decorating these chocolates. There are others who also need my assistance.”
“I understand. Can you show me how to do it again?”
“You have to lift your wrist, angling your hand backward, with only the index finger extended, then curve the arm gracefully, following that arc we discussed—like a dragonfly touching down on the tip of a leaf—gently dabbing the top of the truffle. Good, you’re done. It helps that the chocolate is still warm when… are you checking your phone?”
“I’m sorry. I forgot to check on my ride.”
“…Let’s pause for a moment. Do you care about what we do here? Employees are not only here for a paycheck.”
“…”
“Look outside that window. Not that one; the one to the right on the lower floor, across the balcony between the conveyor belts. What do you see? The one looking out onto the street.”
“Chef Raphaël.”
“Yes. What’s Chef Raphaël’s quote on the billboard?”
“Handmade chocolates, offered by the finest in France.”
“That’s right. See those machines over there? They handle the raw ingredients. Next, more machines heat and mix the chocolate. Continuing on—”
“Looks like Chef Raphaël should revise his quote.”
“…as I was saying, the next section pours the chocolate into those classic molds. After that, they’re wrapped, then sent down to us to add the ‘human touch’ Chef Raphaël mentions on the billboard.”
“I thought chefs were more involved in producing these chocolates. It’s all a scam.”
“That’s exactly why we’re here. The chefs aren’t here anymore. We’re the last line of defence, maintaining what little is left of Chef Raphaël’s legacy. That legacy is worth protecting. I picture our team as the soul of this company—the root.”
“Yet, our team is paid the lowest salary.”
“So long as the roots remain, there’s always a chance that the plant will grow back. That’s why we must remain: we work passionately; as a result, our souls shape the truffles, continuing Chef Raphaël’s legacy.”
“I just want to get in and get out.”
“And I want every person to know that some passion still exists behind the chocolates they enjoy. There’s a little soul in every chocolate: someone studied this tiny treat, and trained to indent the delectable top in the same manner as was done over a hundred years ago.”
“Yes, ma’am. I understand your point now.”
“I’m not asking you to understand, necessarily, only to work every day with the intent to create a unique treat others can appreciate—knowing that at least some of the underlying process that made this chocolate so great remains.”
“Alright. I’ll do that. Can I go back to work?”
“The struggle to procure the raw ingredients is now gone. The difficulty with melting the chocolate to the perfect temperature is gone, too. However, the shape of the dollops on top of those truffles is not yet by machines, and it’s the human effort to master their craft, represented by those dollops, that will make someone smile.”
“Wait… This is what we do on this team all day? Dabbing chocolates for eight hours?”
“Eight hours that I gladly spend.”
“…”
“I’m proud of my work and our team. If you cannot appreciate what we do, then you’re welcome to leave.”
“…”
“If you decide to stay, however, then I ask that you help us hold the line. We are the final ‘hurrah,’ sustaining the vivacious human spirit that connected Chef Raphaël’s creation with chocolate lovers across the world.”