Julien Rousseau-Dumarcet & Nathalie Morin

A Shared Passion for Chocolate

5151 South St, Halifax, NS
902-802-6463
hello@rousseauchocolatier.ca

For Julien Rousseau-Dumarcet and Nathalie Morin, chocolate is both a craft and a shared journey. Together, the husband-and-wife team behind Rousseau Chocolatier has created a distinctly Nova Scotian chocolate business grounded in French technique, local ingredients and thoughtful hospitality.

Julien is a French Master Chocolatier, while Ottawa-born Nathalie brings a background in luxury hospitality. Their complementary skills have helped transform a shared dream into an award-winning chocolate atelier in downtown Halifax.

From European Tradition to Nova Scotia

Their story began in 2008 at the Wakefield Mill Hotel in Quebec, where Julien was working in pastry and met Nathalie. Their relationship soon developed into both a personal and professional partnership.

The couple later travelled through Europe, gaining experience in France and England before working at Cocoa Mountain in a remote part of Scotland. Julien served as Head Chocolatier, while Nathalie worked as Deputy Manager of the café and shop. Those experiences helped shape their vision for a chocolate business of their own.

They eventually chose Halifax, Nova Scotia, attracted by its coastal lifestyle, community and entrepreneurial spirit. Rousseau Chocolatier opened in 2014.

French Technique Meets Nova Scotia Flavour

European craftsmanship remains an important foundation of Rousseau Chocolatier, but Nova Scotia gives the chocolates their sense of place.

The atelier uses premium Cacao Barry chocolate while incorporating ingredients grown and produced within the province. This combination allows familiar French techniques to become a vehicle for distinctly Atlantic Canadian flavours.

That philosophy can be seen particularly clearly in creations such as Nova Scotia Lavender Chocolate, made with locally grown lavender, and Summer Savory Chocolate, which incorporates an herb deeply associated with Maritime cooking.

International Recognition from Halifax

Rousseau’s chocolates have earned international recognition from the Academy of Chocolate in London, England.

In 2023, the company’s Lemon Ganache and Brown Butter Caramel each received silver awards. Two more silver awards followed in 2025 for the Nova Scotia Lavender Chocolate and Summer Savory Chocolate.

The honours are particularly meaningful because the award-winning creations demonstrate both sides of Rousseau’s identity: refined European chocolate-making skills and an increasing emphasis on ingredients connected to Nova Scotia.

Creating a Chocolate Sense of Place

Today, Julien continues to lead chocolate creation while Nathalie brings hospitality, creativity and business expertise to the company. Their downtown Halifax boutique and café offers chocolates, artisan bars, macarons and confections, along with a guided Flavours of Place chocolate tasting experience inspired by Nova Scotia ingredients.

Together, they have created something more distinctive than a European chocolaterie transplanted to Canada. Rousseau has evolved into a chocolate business that reflects its adopted home.

By combining French craftsmanship, Nova Scotia ingredients and a shared commitment to quality, Julien Rousseau-Dumarcet and Nathalie Morin have created a compelling expression of contemporary Canadian chocolate — one rooted in tradition but unmistakably shaped by the East Coast.