ZAchary R. Townsend

Language and Culinary Professional

For a full list of my completed projects, please inquire . . .

My name is Zachary R. Townsend. I go by "Zach." I am a freelance French-to-English translator of multiple books and counting. I am also a proofreader, recipe tester, and ingredient conversion expert. In short, I'm all about the nitty-gritty of your manuscript—and I love it! I help food editors perfect their manuscripts and gain peace of mind by meeting their goals.

I love books, the arts, language, and food. I am also a professional baker and chocolatier, teaching others about the fantastic world of chocolate since 2011 through my business, Dallas Chocolate Classes. I work in the kitchen almost daily with ingredients and recipes, which benefits your manuscripts.

Expertise in Language

My knack for language developed early. My formal education included an undergraduate minor in French, an international MBA with an emphasis in French language and culture, and enrollment in an École Supérieur de Commerce in Paris. After completing my formal education, I worked for a Fortune 500 company in France. Language constantly evolves, so as a language professional I study it constantly. I obtained the D.E.L.F. (2nd Degré) certification in French in 2003. For my clients, I follow The Chicago Manual of Style in conjunction with their in-house style guides.

Expertise in Food + Drink/Cookbooks/Wine

My family has been involved in food businesses since 1903, and each of us has an area of cooking expertise. I began my career in culinary arts while in business school in Paris, where I befriended the Jambon family, founders of Jeff de Bruges chocolate company. This led to my particular focus on chocolate and pastry. I have traveled throughout France multiple times for hands-on learning (once while working on my own book on the soups of France) to discover and learn the complex details of its cuisine, both home cooking and haute cuisine. I owned a chocolate dessert catering business Pure Chocolate Desserts by Zach for many years and now operate Dallas Chocolate Classes on a part-time basis (recognized by Rachael Ray Every Day magazine as a fun activity across the nation for food enthusiasts). I also have a YouTube channel, Dallas Chocolate Classes, where I post recipes and instructional videos about chocolate. I have worked with Rose Levy Beranbaum, IACP award-winning author of The Cake Bible (HMH), as a recipe tester and contributor for her second IACP Cookbook of the Year, Rose's Heavenly Cakes, in which I also have a featured recipe. I also have a recipe featured in the beautiful cookbook Flavorful (HMH) by Tish Boyle and The Cookie Bible (HMH) by Rose Levy Beranbaum. I served as a proofreader for Rose’s 35th Anniversary edition of The Cake Bible.

I have written several articles for Dessert Professional magazine. One of the most enjoyable parts of my culinary career is serving as Texas State Fair chocolate dessert judge, a prestigious honor. I also served three years as a judge for the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation ProStart program and volunteered as a presenter for cooking merit badge classes for the Boy Scouts of America. My diverse culinary background resulted in an invitation to serve as a contributor to The New York Times microblog on cake. I also worked for a brief time at La Petite Rose pâtisserie in Paris. In 2009, I was asked to serve one of my chocolate cakes to former President George Bush and First Lady Laura Bush. In 2019, I was selected as the Dallas Observer’s Readers’ Pick for “Best Chef” in Dallas.

My cookbook writing and editing experiences range from home cooking recipes to the recipes for an MOF and Michelin three-star chef. I study food, cookbooks, and food news constantly, and I dine out constantly, observing menus and food trends while befriending chefs and mixologists, learning about their latest methods and use of ingredients in savory and pastry. I maintain my culinary skills by cooking daily and with occasional formal classes, such as at the French Pastry School in Chicago, The Cordon Bleu in Paris, and The Chocolate Academy in Chicago. Just like language, food culture is always evolving and always fascinating.

Expertise in providing service

As a consummate professional, you'll find my communication style proactive and detailed. I am a certified project manager (PMP) by the Project Management Institute, so I understand organization and time management. I believe in "white-glove" service for all my clients, sharing their passion, urgency, and commitment to their manuscripts. I respond within hours to all inquiries. Because of my experience and reputation, I have had the honor of working with some of the best editors and authors in the world.

Oh, I've translated in other topics, too . . .

Art overlaps. Although I specialize in gastronomy, I've translated amazing titles covering the topics of architecture and fashion.

For a full list of my completed projects, please inquire . . .