Barry Callebaut opens Chocolate Academy in Cologne

COLOGNE – Barry Callebaut opened the first German Chocolate Academy  center on Wednesday with an impressive show in the Cologne MediaPark. The world's leading manufacturer of high-quality cocoa and chocolate products welcomed more than 250 guests from business, politics and media to celebrate a special evening fully dedicated to the fascinating chocolate artisanry. 

 

Callebaut, the Belgian chocolate brand of Barry Callebaut, remains one of the largest supporters of chocolate artisanry. “From the cocoa bean to chocolate” was the theme of the grand opening culminating inincredible works of artistry from internationally renowned Callebaut Ambassadors, a unique network of international chocolate experts with more than 170 chefs, chefs de patissier, master bakers and confectioners. 

 

“At our new Chocolate Academy center, chocolate artisanry and chocolate art come together. Therefore, we presented both sides to our guests – on the one hand the manufacturing of high-quality chocolate from the cocoa bean to the finished product and, on the other hand, the fine art of developing innovative and filigree chocolate and cocoa creations,” explained Vera Becker, head of the Chocolate Academy center in Cologne.

 

At the beginning of the spectacular show, craftsmen opened yellow and red cocoa fruits and offered a taste of aromatic cocoa beans and sweet fruit pulp. Guests were then able to experience the process of tropical cocoa fruits develop into tempting chocolate along various stops: from the selection of exquisite cocoa beans, the aromatic roasting and grinding of the beans to the tempering of conched chocolate.

 

Works of “chocolate art” by international Ambassadors, representing the renowned gourmet chocolate brand Callebaut, then came in the form six extraordinary desserts. Among the  Ambassadors in Cologne for the grand opening were Steffen Blunck and Matthias Ludwigs, two top-class masters of confectionery, and the multi-award-winning chocolatier Lothar Buss. The chocolate creations were based on the individual production steps of cocoa, starting with the cocoa fruit and finishing with chocolate. These included a dessert based on cocoa fruit pulp and a dessert variation with fermented and roasted cocoa beans.

 

Important link in an international network

 

With 18 training centers in Europe, Asia, North and South America and Australia, the Barry Callebaut group has the largest network of training facilities for chocolate professionals worldwide. Last year, about 38.000 participants followed trainings and took courses.

 

The new Chocolate Academy center in the Cologne MediaPark offers the entire range of trainings to chocolate professionals: With a large variety of courses around chocolate, from confectionary and French pastry courses to cake design courses, the Academy is the first address for trainings regarding the chocolate artisanry. Internationally recognized teachers will lead those courses, including Chefs Blunck, Buss and Ludwigs.

 

Germany is one of the most important markets for chocolate artisanry, noted  Philipp Schoeller, director of the Barry Callebaut Deutschland GmbH.

 

“Finally, we can offer trainings and courses regarding the refining of individual cocoa and chocolate creations on the level of first-class gastronomy,” Mr. Schoeller said. “That way, we provide an important contribution to the know-how of German chocolate specialists.”