Exclusive: Brussels artisan confectioners dazzle ahead of the World Confectionery Conference

Even the most fleeting of visits to Brussels will have your taste-buds feeling well satisfied, as editor Neill Barston found on a chocolate tour of the city, with Cathy Manlow, of the Academy of Chocolate, as she places a spotlight on some of its confectionery gems

One of the absolute highlights of our time in Brussels for the World Confectionery Conference has been embarking on a confectionery tasting tour of the city.

This engaging and cosmopolitan capital continues to prove a vibrant hub for those seeking out intriguing and inventive sweet treats that are packed full of surprises.

Indeed, this is just one of the many reasons my guide, Cathy Manlow, a former treasurer of the Academy of Chocolate, rates living and working in this dynamic European capital. Perhaps the city’s strongest association remains with its premium Pralines, which since being introduced by Jean Neuhaus II in 1912, have been a firm favourite with visitors.

But its confectionery story extends far further, as any stroll around its central streets will attest. You’ll swiftly lay eyes upon its wealth of sweet-smelling waffle stalls. For those who like their savoury snacks, then the region’s Speculoos cookies are not to be missed.

Another highly regarded favourite are its brightly flavoured cone-shaped candies, known as Cuberdons, found amid the city’s many independent confectionery stores. “What I really like about tastings in Brussels is that you have the traditional, typical Belgian chocolate, as well as its excellent artisans who are waiting to be discovered by people,” explained Cathy, who has greatly enjoyed living and worked in Brussels for over a decade.

She continues: “There are some exceptional chocolatiers in the city who spend time with ingredients and their overall craftsmanship to come up with some delicious tastes for their pralines. So, that’s what excites me to bring people to Brussels to taste these kinds of chocolates.” As she admits, it may not quite have the out-and-out fast-paced buzz of capitals such as her native New York, yet it has plenty of its own charms in its shared culture and cuisine.

“Brussels is a really good place to live. It has its own rhythm, it’s diverse, and you have people from all walks of life here, and that’s what makes it a different and pleasant place to live in,” revealed Cathy, who originally served as an apprentice in France at Frederic Cassel, before becoming a chief strategist for Rococo Chocolates in the UK.

In recent years, she has built a business offering bespoke tours of Brussels’ confectionery delights, which as she explains, is a prime location that is not short on potential options for premium confectionery.

Reflecting back on last year’s conference in the Belgian capital, Cathy believed the event, which returns to the Marriott Hotel, Brussels, Grand Place on 11 September that can be booked via the following link to our dedicated show website, there had been plenty of key discussion of core topics affecting the industry. (Watch our exclusive video review of last year’s event below)

She said: “The conference was really interesting last year, with the line-up of speakers being really good. I particularly enjoyed the afternoon sessions that included a presentation from California Cultured, cell cultured cocoa, which was something that was just quite different. There was also a good range of presentations that looked at topics like like sugar use, which was interesting even though it’s not my sector.”

As we tour the streets of Brussels, she highlights some fine independent confectioners right within the heart of the city. This includes our first stop, at Laurent Gerbaud. This small, but perfectly formed store has garnered a reputation for its exquisite pralines, and our visit does not disappoint in the slightest.

To its credit, it offers an immense array of flavours, including a personal favourite, a spice-infused dark chocolate variant, which sits alongside a number of options, including exotic fruit flavours that offer something far different from the norm. From there, we explore BS40, which offers some Japanese-inspired sweets, as well as vegan macarons, which have attracted plenty of interest both in-store and online.

This vibrant store is jam-packed full of beautifully packed chocolates and confectionery delicacies. The tour includes a couple of other memorable moments, including our final destination, visiting the well-established chocolatier Frederic Blondeel.

Tucked away off the central streets, this is another notable gem, with its high-grade truffles including a heritage range, and its rich chocolate ganache fingers, are among many highlights. These were just several of many fine artisans that have made their name in Brussels beyond its major name brands such as Godiva – which itself celebrates a century of chocolate making next year. 

Clearly, the city has a lot more to offer than meets the eye, and having the invaluable insights of a specialist such as Cathy can make the world of difference regarding how a location is perceived.

With 2025’s World Confectionery Conference just around the corner, the issue of how artisan producers can thrive in future markets in spite of the wealth of environmental and social challenges will play its part within our Q&A session, that is destined to prove a notable highlight from our fifth global confectionery conference.