Barry Callebaut Inaugurates its First Chocolate Academy Center in Turkey

22 Nov 2013 --- Barry Callebaut, the world's leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products, announces the opening of its first CHOCOLATE ACADEMY center in Turkey, the 16th in the company's network of such training centers worldwide.

Located in Istanbul, the CHOCOLATE ACADEMY center 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 center'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 CHOCOLATE ACADEMY center 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 center will also be a meeting place for chocolate professionals encouraging the exchange of technical expertise among each other.

Marc Pauquet, Technical Advisor and Director of the new CHOCOLATE ACADEMY center explains: "Our new CHOCOLATE ACADEMY center 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."

Barry Callebaut's new CHOCOLATE ACADEMY center occupies 250m² at the company's EEMA headquarters in Istanbul. The spacious workshop center 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.

Besides, international chefs and teachers from abroad will share their knowledge and techniques at this new, unique innovation center for chocolate experts in the heart of Turkey. The first in a row of such international instructors will be the international Technical Advisor Philippe Marand - a French chef, and without doubt one of the key individuals in the world of gourmet chocolate.

For Frederic Trombert, Vice President of Barry Callebaut's Gourmet & Specialties Products business in the EEMEA region, the new CHOCOLATE ACADEMY center is an important element in further strengthening the company's footprint in Turkey as well as in the EEMEA region: "This is not just our first CHOCOLATE ACADEMY center in Turkey and the second one in our Region EEMEA. It stands for our commitment to the local chocolate market and shows how important Turkey is for our global brands Callebaut, Cacao Barry and Carma. Our new CHOCOLATE ACADEMY center in Istanbul also brings us closer to our customers. It will empower local chefs and artisans to delight their customers with superior creations anywhere, anytime." says Frederic Trombert.