Watching chocolate come together into the sweet, creamy goodness we all enjoy is mesmerizing, almost magical. I've often wondered what sort of fanatic might enjoy this process and see it through to the end. Thankfully, I didn't have to look far. Chef John Deflieze, our newest addition to the Vita Nova family, has a particular love for the *art* of chocolate. He has shown us students that this art is not daunting and can be a great way to express creativity and to try something. I knew he was onto something because I realized I didn't need anymore convincing to get me on the path towards exploring chocolate making and chocolatiers of the world. Since his arrival in the kitchen he has treated the Dinner Lab students to countless little truffle or chocolate treats he had been working on throughout the day. Although we were all more than grateful for this pre class pick me up I wanted to know more, so I decided to delve a little deeper into what it means to be a chocolatier something I've endearingly come to call a Chocolate Artist. As I dived deeper and deeper into my searches on chocolate art and famous chocolatiers of the world I happened to find Patrick Roger, and all I can say is, "Wow." Patrick Roger is a true pioneer in his industry. His factory and shop is located in Paris, France. Roger is the type of chocolatier to build a 2 story Christmas tree made of solid chocolate in the middle of his factory that can never be moved. The other chocolate artists just admire the beauty that is chocolate and what can be done with it. Patrick Roger is known for these lifelike sculptures and pop culture references such as a solid chocolate replica of the Berlin Wall complete with cocoa butter graffiti. Roger also creates fantastical bonbons sure to make any palette salivate. His incorporations of oozy caramel and tart pear puree's are accompanied by a spicy Szechuan pepper sprinkle or a smoky Earl Grey encompassed in a glossy dome and smothered in some of France's finest chocolates. Many like to believe that with chocolate simple is best but with chocolate artists like Peter Roger pushing the envelope and developing new fundamental flavors that will be spoken about for years to come, chocolate lovers of the world rejoice. Roger and the rest of his team are extremely innovative and always looking for the next best thing. They often give samples to many different people in the factory to stay on top of their quality and trends in the industry. He is a truly inspiring chocolatier and I am elated to have stumbled upon his work.
1 Comment
Ivy
2/20/2023 05:33:00 pm
Fascinating content! Thanks. I want to share a shop that provides assorted sweets for your next dessert. "Select Sweets". https://www.selectsweets.com.au Their selection of sweets is impeccable and you can buy what you need easily. Thanks again!
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The StudentsThe students of the Hospitality Business Management program at the University of Delaware share their experiences at Vita Nova Archives
November 2020
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