Turkish cocoa academy
Barry Callebaut, manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products, has announced the opening of its first Chocolate Academy centre in Turkey, the 16th in the company’s network of training centres worldwide.
Located in Istanbul, the Chocolate Academy is a state-of-the-art teaching and workshop facility for culinary professionals at all levels interested in strengthening their skills in working with chocolate and learning about new techniques, trends and recipes dedicated to the Turkish market.
The centre’s offerings include a wide range of workshops and demonstrations for customers in all sectors: chocolatiers, chefs, pastry, bakery and other chocolate experts as well as culinary professionals working in hotels, restaurants and the catering business.
The centre will showcase the knowledge accumulated over more than 150 years by Barry Callebaut’s global gourmet chocolate brands such as Callebaut, Cacao Barry, Carma. The centre will also be a meeting place for chocolate professionals, encouraging the exchange of technical expertise.
Marc Pauquet, technical advisor and director of the Chocolate Academy centre explains: “Our new Chocolate Academy centre will offer a wide range of workshops to cover all demands – for beginners up to the experienced chef. Many Turkish chocolate experts travel to Europe to take courses. Now they can find a high-level place around the corner, here in Istanbul.” He adds: “We aim to promote a fruitful exchange between our technical advisors, brand ambassadors and the local professionals from all food service specialties. We will create new recipes with and for the Turkish people and discover innovative ways of using chocolate.”
The Chocolate Academy centre occupies 250m² at the company’s EEMA headquarters in Istanbul. It features a professional kitchen with individual marble countertops for the chocolate pre-crystallization and all the equipment and utensils one would find in the world’s best schools.
International chefs and teachers from abroad will share their knowledge and techniques, the first of whom will be the international technical advisor Philippe Marand – a French chef.
