Newton Chef To Be Featured On Netflix Show 'School Of Chocolate'

NEWTON, MA — A Newton chef will be featured in Netflix's new show, School of Chocolate, premiering on the streaming service on Friday, Nov. 26.

Thiago Silva, the celebrity pastry chef set to debut SALT Patisserie in Newton’s Picadilly Square this winter, is one of eight top pastry chefs who were chosen for the show and given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take their work to the next level under world-renowned chocolatier Amaury Guichon.

"I think you can expect the unexpected and really be blown away with some of the chocolate work that is done," said Silva. "Amaury Guichon is amazing and he really wanted chefs with different skill sets and who could benefit from learning."

Chef Silva, whose A-list clientele has included Derek Jeter, John Legend, Iris Apfel, Sofia Vergara, Miranda Kerr, and Carmelo Anthony, moved from New York City to the Boston area in 2016 for a position as Director of Chocolate with food innovation lab Chew and will now begin his latest venture by opening his first patisserie in Newton.

"I moved to Newton about five years ago not really knowing what to expect," said Silva. "Pre-pandemic, I had accepted a job back in New York and was ready to leave Newton and Massachusetts, but it didn't feel right. When

I accepted the job I felt good about it but I felt bad about leaving Newton. When the pandemic shut down the opportunity in New York, I decided it was time to open my own thing."

Prior to his time in Massachusetts, Silva served as Executive Pastry Chef at New York City’s EMM Group for several years. He also won Food Network’s first all-baking Chopped Competition in 2007, has competed and won Dessert Games on Food Network, was a finalist on Best Baker in America, and has served as a judge on both Sugar Rush on Netflix and Chopped Sweets.

SALT Patisserie will be located at 792 Beacon Street in the area of local spots such as Thistle & Leek, Pho Viet’s II, and Rosenfield Bagels. The new store will focus on quality over quantity feature Silva's signature modern pastries, vienoisserie, breads, grab-and-go prepared items, custom cakes, custom chocolates, coffee, and more.

"It is somewhere where I want to have a relationship with my guests," he said. "I want to put newton on the map for this type of good. I know Boston has a lot of great names out there but why not Newton?"

"Im here for the community first," he continued. "I really want to create a place to build memories and that will last for a long time."

A trailer for School of Chocolate can be viewed here.