Chocolate

Hello Everyone.

I'm intersted in becoming a chocolatier. I've been trying to find classes ANYWHERE that focus on this subject. So far, I've found a broad assortment of low end classes ( workshops, one day courses) and pastry programs.

Does anyone know of chocolate specific apprenticeships or programs?

Thanks!!!!!
Bertani14

By Chefspike (Chefspike) on Tuesday, August 24, 2004 - 01:13 am: Edit

Belgium.
France.
Germany.
Thats were it's happening my friend.
Chocolate and Euro broads.
You can live off that.
HaHaHaHaHa.............................

By Jonesg (Jonesg) on Tuesday, August 24, 2004 - 06:54 am: Edit

Well what do you consider a chocolatier to be ?
theres not much demand for someone who can only work with chocolate, its just one facet of a bigger picture. Do you have eventual plans to open a chocolate shop ?
Do you want to stay with tabliering and hand made or progress to the enrobers and conveyors?
I had a freind who worked with 6000 lbs of choclate a day, he said the best chocolate guys always came from the floor up, the technical school grads rarely worked out. Personally I would go the tech school route (preferably european) to get the basic knowledge, but the skill itself can only come from working with someone who's got it.

By Tdr (Tdr) on Tuesday, August 24, 2004 - 01:54 pm: Edit

I am also interested in learning more on chocolate and have been finding it hard to locate anywhere that specializes in it. I want to learn to work with it. I have some ideas to create some new chocolate items that are not marketed everywhere yet. I would like to start a small business with these items,and grow from there.

By Chefgibz0 (Chefgibz0) on Tuesday, August 24, 2004 - 02:16 pm: Edit

I am not that knowledgable on this subject but I think everybody here has a valid point. Go to europe to train in their schools or go to NYC and work for Jacques Torres. He is one of the best. I worked with a pastry Chef that competed on a regular basis and Jacques Torres was usually the judge and he always had praise for Mr. Torres. Or get in touch with your local ACF chapter, every once in a while they hold seminars on the subjsct as well they might be able to point you in the right direction.....
peace
my $0.02

By Kinglear (Kinglear) on Tuesday, August 24, 2004 - 05:37 pm: Edit

Albert Uster Imports in Gaithersburg MD has intensive classes with Swiss pastry masters in their learning center. Some deal specificly with the intricacies of working with chocolate.
Check out their website and contact them for more information. I don't remember the address--just Google "Albert Uster Imports".

By Chefspike (Chefspike) on Thursday, August 26, 2004 - 01:59 am: Edit

if you stay here in America, you won't be getting the full experience that you would if you went to Europe.
you said you wanted to learn, then go learn from any one of a dozen MASTERS.
if you just want to get by,....well, thats a another thing.
maybe you don't have to learn it all, maybe you should just hire a Pastry Chef that KNOWS choc. and let him do what your looking for.
if its a biz your trying to start, chances are your gonna be pushing paper anyhow.

By Doucefrance (Doucefrance) on Sunday, August 29, 2004 - 09:05 am: Edit

www.barry-callebaut.com will give you all the info you need. They teach classes and they are the best in chocolate.
I took one of their classes for beginners in their factory near Paris years ago.
I think they also have classes in the US now.
Good luck
Helene