Whisk, beat, bake and serve. These steps have become routine for the “waffle master,” a name given to Iowa State’s own Adam Schonert by Erika Jensen and Bradley Jensen owners of a local bakery in Algona, Iowa, The Chocolate Season, for his original waffle creations. The Food Network has named the waffles as the best in Iowa.

The freshman in food science began his waffle-making career two years ago when Jensen asked him to collaborate with her in creating an original waffle menu for the Chocolate Season.

Schonert had frequently visited The Chocolate Season. During that time, he and Jensen gained a mutual respect and admiration for each other, Schonert said.

The Chocolate Season is special to Schonert as well as to the rest of the locals.

Schonert said he takes pride in where he comes from, which is what makes building his career at The Chocolate Season so much more special to him.

As if the coffee bar, cafe and handcrafted chocolates weren’t sweet enough, Jensen decided to add waffles to the menu. She asked Schonert to help in creating an authentic waffle menu and to hand craft the waffles every Saturday for brunch at The Chocolate Season.

After months of compiling and perfecting in collaboration with Jensen, The Chocolate Season’s waffle menu finally launched in January 2017.

“The first Saturday I think like five people came, so really slow … I think those five people were probably my family too,” Schonert said. “It mostly spread by word of mouth. People were like ‘Oh, these are really good you should try these.’ Now we usually have about 50 people coming in for waffles on Saturdays.”

In addition to having his own position at The Chocolate Season, Schonert has integrated his culinary skills into the holidays. Senior year of high school he turned his love for baking into a community serving past time calling it, Schonert’s Patisserie, in which he takes orders for desserts such as pies and cheesecakes and hand delivers them on holidays.

“I like to be unique and try to be relationship focused … I hand deliver them on Thanksgiving morning and instead of emails I like doing letters and stuff like that,” Schonert said.

Similar to how Waffle Saturdays at The Chocolate Season grew in popularity, demand for Schonert’s tasty creations grew over time. During his first round of orders for Thanksgiving 2017, he sold around 15 pies. It grew by Christmas when he sold about 25, and the next Thanksgiving he had to cap orders at 50.

Schonert traded his kitchen for a residence hall and put his waffle iron aside this fall when he came to Iowa State. Here, he is developing the scientific and culinary skills needed to pursue his dreams.

Looking forward, Schonert plans to go into product development after he graduates from Iowa State. However, his end goal is to eventually open his own shop that serves sweets, coffee and lunch, similar to The Chocolate Season.

To acquire the knowledge and skills needed to achieve his future plans, Schonert is a part of the food science club, culinary science club and product development club.

The product development club has enabled Schonert to get into the kitchen while away at school and learn from great mentors, he said.

The club consists of three graduate students and Schonert. One of the students in the club invited Schonert to join and they were eager to teach him the ropes of product development.

“At first I didn’t feel like I had much to offer, and I may not have the same level of higher education as they have already, but I’ve had a lot of previous experience as well on the culinary side,” Schonert said. “We all can offer our own unique opinion, and each idea is helpful.”

The club is currently in the top six finalists of the National Dairy Council New Product Competition for their three-component workout snacks composed of 51 percent dairy.

Schonert’s love and talent for baking has gotten him to where he is today; his love began at an early age and has been developing ever since. Schonert said his parents gave him a waffle iron with farm animals shapes engraved, and he remembers making waffle batter with his dad.

“Even as a kid, just stirring it’s like ‘oh, this is so much fun’ and ‘how does the batter turn into this waffle’ and stuff like that. I thought it was so interesting,” Schonert said.

Schonert said that throughout the years he has had many memorable experiences, but his favorite thus far have been working at The Chocolate Season and Schonert’s Patisserie.

“I love running Schonert’s Patisserie because I get to work for myself and I get to really be in charge of everything that happens and how everything runs,” Schonert said. “And I really love the business side of that.”

Although Schonert said he enjoys the independence of pursuing his culinary talents, his heart lies where the roots of his career do: at The Chocolate Season.

“The Chocolate Season is probably my favorite [experience] overall,” Schonert said. “Like just that whole experience, including all the waffles, and just in a restaurant setting … I just love the social atmosphere.”