This intensive course will teach you all the theory and hand-on training about the steps to make small-batch craft chocolate. If you are planning to start a trendy "Bean to Bar" business or expanding your pastry business, this is the right workshop for you.
When: March 6th through 9th 2017
Where: Coimbatore, India
Fees: US$ 1,250 includes farm tour
Learning Objective
You will learn the critical quality factors in selecting the beans, bean sources, roasting of beans, cracking, winnowing, grinding, conching, tempering and molding of chocolate bars and making ganache, bon-bon etc. You will have intensive hands-on training on all the process steps using state of the art machines. You will also learn about chocolate tasting.Includes farm tour on day 4 to visit cacao trees and processing.
Instructors
Mayari Castellanos
Chef & Chocolatier, Archaeologist – Restorer
Kakaw Museo & Chocolatería Cultural México
Mayari Castellanos is a member of the International Scientific Committee on Chocolate Flavors in the World. A lover of traditional cuisine and gastronomy, she has specialized in the art of making chocolates. She is the CEO of the KAKAW Museum – Chocolate Factory – Plantations and also co-owner of the restaurant “La Capitania”. It is here she did her specialization in gastronomic restoration, studying the cuisine and culinary heritage of the colonial times. She has received the awards “NationalHeritage of Flavor” y “CulinaryExcellence”. She has represented Mexico in national and international stage since 2010, spreading the history and evolution of cocoa to chocolate.
She has exhibited the line of chocolate bars from her Kakaw Museum at various exhibitions around the world. She has given lectures at the world’s largest chocolate event, Salon du Chocolat, in venues like Paris, Madrid and Brazil. She has also been an exhibitor at the Eurociocolate, IT., as well as various chocolate festivals in Central America. She has also participated in Salon Chocolate Mexico, Cacao para todos, Festival del Chocolate Tabasco-MX, Salon Gourmet, to name a few. She has been a professor of Archeology, World Heritage and Food Culture for the University of Chiapas and comes from a family that loves culture, gastronomy and cocoa. She is a graduate archaeologist at the University of Americas, MX., with a post graduate degree in ceramic restoration and conservation.
She is also an associate researcher at INAH Mexico and the New World Archaeological Foundation, UT. She has dedicated herself to spreading the enormous historical and cultural legacy of cocoa, the importance of this sacred fruit for the pre-Hispanic indigenous people and to showcase the benefits of chocolates. Other than being a chocoholic she is also a Cultural promoter, juice therapy lover and passionate about the Mayan traditional arts.
Christian E. Martínez Sosa
Chocolate artist, Chef, Culinary instructor
Chris has a degree in gastronomy from the Superior College of Tourism and Hotel Industry, César Ritz. He is the founder of Syokorat, a company dedicated to training in confections since 2013. He is also a qualified teacher in the field of pastry and chocolates and has taken up the role of advisor to different chocolate companies like Chocosolutions, Chocolate Luker, Chef Rubber, and is an active member of the Mexican Pastry Team.
He has shared his experience and knowledge in different institutions across Mexico and has participated in many national and international competitions such as World Chocolate Masters 2010, and 2012, Coppa del Mondo Della Gelateria 2012, Olmec Concurso de Escultura en Hielo – Abastur, obtaining the gold and silver medals. He is also a winner in the 2016 Best Recognition Chocolatier, and Cake &Bake Master MX, to name a few. He has participated as a jury member in academic and professional competitions.
Chritian Martinez has given lectures in different national and international exhibitions, where he expresses his love for the profession, sharing experiences of his work in chocolates. He has participated in different chocolate festivals like Salón del Chocolate Ecuador (twice), Salón Chocolate WTC Mexico City and also Mexican Chocolate festival. Now, his company Syokorat, a gallery of expression of art and gastronomy provides training at all levels and develops innovative products for business. Chef Christian has a strong interest for surreal art which has helped him in developing new techniques for chocolate art. He has never left aside his constant training, since he has a personal objective to acquire and transmit his new knowledge in Mexico and around the world.
Ms. Andal Balu
Ms. Andal Balu and her husband Dr. Balu M. Balasubramanian have started and propelled many companies to success includingInnoConcepts since 1992. Her interest in chocolate processing began in 2006, when she realized there was no quality, affordable and easy to operatesmall and medium scale chocolate processing machinery available. She convinced Dr. Balu to innovate equipment for chocolate industry. After couple of years of R&D, CocoaTown was founded. Before CocoaTown, only McGuyvers could start bean to bar business. Now, CocoaTown equipment has made ¡§bean to bar¡¨ business a level playing field for all the chocolatemakers regardless of their mechanical skills. In 2013, CocoaTown received "Innovation in Fine Chocolate Products" award by the Fine Chocolate Industry Association (FCIA). This award is determined by industry peers and recognizes real achievement and contributions. She and Balualso donate CocoaTown equipment to non-profit organizations in cocoa growing countries.
Due to her marketing skills CocoaTown equipment is currently being used in more than 50 countries. She also helps chocopreneurs to make the best chocolate. CocoaTown customers get tips from her to make the best chocolate. She is well versed with the equipment, maintenance of the equipment and the whole process of making chocolate from bean to bar. She also helps the cocoa farmers by tasting their beans and evaluating their beans for right fermentation and drying.
She has worked in agricultural research as Agricultural Research Services Scientist (ARS) for 7 years in India. She understands the crop and the processing of the beans before it is sold to the consumer and gets excited to share her knowledge with the farmers.
AndalBalu also has given seminars in these prestigious chocolate events:
- Salon du Chocolat ¡V Seoul - 2014
- Philadelphia Candy show- 2013
- Pacific Northwest Chocolate festival in Seattle - 2013
- Chicago Chocolate festival ¡V 2012
- Fine Chocolate Industry Associtation-2013
Her seminars attendees have found out the information to be very educational and practical. She holds a Master degree in Botany. Ms. Balu is very active in her community organizations. She is currently serves as Board of Director for Greater Atlanta Tamil Sangam. AndalBalu volunteers for TamilNadu Foundation, Hindu Temple of Atlanta and North Fulton Community Charity. She and her husband are pioneers in screening Tamil Moviesin Atlanta. They have also organized dramas and music programs and have hosted popular Artists from India to raise funds for ¡§Eye camp project through Aravind Hospital¡¨ and TNF. She is also member of professional organizations such as FCIA, GIACC, etc.
She visits India often and keeps in touch with her roots. She likes to travel and her goal is to visit at least 100 countries in the next 10 years. She likes to read, spend time with friends, & learn new skills and languages. She speaks Tamil, Telugu and English fluently, can understand Malayalam and Kannada languages. She creates new recipes combining local ingredients available in USA and the Indian spices.
Ms. Balushares her tips to make perfect the South Indian specialties like Idli&dosas through Innoconcepts.com and other blog posts. She also shares her secrets to reducing the cooking time while maintaining authentic cooking nuances, as South Indian food takes a lot of time to cook from scratch.
Program Details
| Day 1 | Morning | Introduction, Cacao related to preharvesting, bean quality evaluation |
| 12 -1 pm | lunch break | |
| Afternoon | sorting and preparing beans for processing, roasting, cracking & winnowing theory & practical, Pregrinding & grinding - introduction and practical session on grinding | |
| Day 2 | Morning | Roasting theory, Cracking & winnowing theory, grinding & conching theory - grinding follow-up |
| 12 -1 pm | lunch break | |
| Afternoon | evaluation of grinding process -part 1, Preparing & Adding ingredients, evaluation of grinding process -part 2 and introduction to tasting chocolates & sensory evaluation. | |
| 6-9 pm | Wine and chocolate pairing and Network Dinner. | |
| Day 3 | Morning | Tempering & Molding - theory and hands-on Practical |
| 12 -1 pm | lunch break | |
| Afternoon | bon bons and truffle making practical, participant feedback & certificates distribution and introduction to business plan | |
| Day 4 | All Day | Farm Tour - post harvesting. |
Organized by
CocoaTown, USA,
M&N Goodies Pvt Ltd, Ooty and
GANACHE For Da Chocoholics, Coimbatore, India