our roots
Håkan Mårtensson is a renowned chocolatier known for his creativity and skillful use of out-of-the-ordinary ingredients. His chocolates are beautifully crafted with razor-thin shells, perfect tempering, and a great snap that melts in your mouth. In addition to chocolate, Håkan has returned to his roots and is baking up a storm! He has brought traditional Swedish cardamom buns to the locals, and the espresso-based coffee drinks made with beans from Brooklyn roastery Devocion have added greatly to the local coffee scene.
Located on Main Street in Beacon, New York, in the beautiful Hudson Valley, HÅKAN Chocolatier offers a wide selection of stunning bonbons made with hard-to-find and uniquely sourced ingredients, such as lotus seeds, lingonberries, and Hawthorn. Håkan’s creations have a noticeable Nordic flavor with global influences that are complex yet balanced: salt vs sweet, bitter vs sour, rough vs elegant. The limited collection of tablets available includes dark, ruby, milk, and white chocolate, each combined with flavors that surprise the palate.
Håkan's talent for customizing bonbons to the tastes and personalities of couples makes him a sought-after chocolatier for weddings. He also creates magnificent chocolate sculptures for special occasions, showcasing his skills as a true chocolate artist.
Håkan's passion for pastry and chocolate began when he enrolled at the Culinary Institute in Kristianstad, Sweden, at age 15. Three years later, he graduated as a pastry chef and began his career at Nordiska Kompaniet (NK) department store in Stockholm, known for its high-quality baked goods. In 2005, Håkan joined the Swedish National Culinary Team as a sculptor and brought home gold medals from the World Cup in Luxembourg and the Culinary Olympics in Erfurt.
In 2008, Håkan moved to New York City to become the Master Chocolatier at FIKA NYC, where he continued to develop his skills and build his reputation as a top chocolatier. Today, recognized by chocolate connoisseurs worldwide, Håkan is thrilled to have his own chocolate speakeasy in Beacon, New York.