Barry Callebaut Opens First German Chocolate Academy Center

05 Feb 2015 --- Traditional chocolate specialist Barry Callebaut has opened the first German Chocolate Academy center 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 the event center “Komed” to celebrate a special evening fully dedicated to the fascinating chocolate artisanry.

As an important partner for kitchen and pastry chefs, chocolatiers, bakers and caterers, Callebaut, the Belgian chocolate brand of Barry Callebaut, represented one of the largest supporters of chocolate artisanry. Top-class was also the grand opening show with the slogan “From the cocoa bean to chocolate”, developed by internationally renowned Callebaut Ambassadors.

“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”, said Vera Becker, head of the Chocolate Academy center in Cologne, explaining the concept of the opening show.

The presentation began with the most important ingredient of high-quality chocolate – the cocoa fruit. During the show, craftsmen opened yellow and red cocoa fruits and offered a taste of aromatic cocoa beans and sweet fruit pulp. Afterwards, guests were 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. 

The subject “chocolate art” was presented by international Ambassadors, representing the renowned gourmet chocolate brand Callebaut . The Callebaut Ambassadors are a unique network of international chocolate experts with more than 170 chefs, chefs de patissier, master bakers and confectioners. For the grand opening of the Chocolate Academy center in Cologne, six of the Callebaut Ambassadors created six extraordinary desserts. Among them 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. Among the presented desserts was a dessert based on cocoa fruit pulp and a dessert variation with fermented and roasted cocoa beans. “The German Chocolate Academy center will provide an important contribution to the international network” Philipp Schoeller, Director of the Barry Callebaut Deutschland GmbH, explained: “We are proud to open one of our excellent Chocolate Academy centers in Germany because Germany is one of the most important markets for chocolate artisanry.

Finally, we can offer trainings and courses regarding the refining of individual cocoa and chocolate creations on the level of first-class gastronomy. That way, we provide an important contribution to the know-how of German chocolate specialists.” 
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 in Cologne is the first address for trainings regarding the chocolate artisanry. 

Internationally recognized teachers will lead those courses. Among them are top chefs Steffen Blunck, Lothar Buss and Matthias Ludwigs, who also showed their know-how at the grand opening. “We want to teach the right techniques to each participant and sensitize them for the newest chocolate trends, for example for the increasing demand of high-quality and personalized products,” said Vera Becker, head of the Chocolate Academy center in Cologne, explaining the aim of the new Academy.