What's inside Dubai's newly opened Chocolate Academy?

The centre will host classes with courses being taught by top local and international chefs

Damith Bandara, a student at the newly opened Chocolate Academy Centre, works on one of his projects. All photos: Chris Whiteoak / The National

Guests admire works by students and chefs.

Chef Panagiotis Samaras tempers some chocolate at the opening.

Elias M Feghali, right, the chairman of EMF Trading; and Rogier van Sligter, president EMEA of Barry Callrbaut at the opening.

Chef Christophe Morel with one of his chocolate creations.

The new chocolate academy aims to give aspiring and experienced chefs all the tools they need to be top chocolatiers.

A violinist at the opening.

Guests admire some of the creations by students.

A guest poses next to chef Christophe Morel's chocolate creation.

Chef Morel also celebrated the opening of the Expo 2020 Dubai.

Chef Christophe Morel created a few chocolate art for the opening.

Chef Romain Renard, the head of Chocolate Academy Centre Dubai.

A new Chocolate Academy in Dubai aims to give aspiring and experienced chefs all the tools they need to be top chocolatiers. The centre in Downtown Dubai is one of 24 academies around the world, which will host renowned chefs who will teach and train students in the art of chocolate.

“With our new set-up, we aim to elevate the experience of all chocolate professionals in the region who wish to create and express themselves. It is a unique place where we are cultivating an atmosphere of curiosity, creativity and inspiration for both professionals and chocolate lovers," chef Romain Renard, the head of Chocolate Academy Dubai said.

Scroll through the gallery above for pictures from the opening of the new Chocolate Academy Centre Dubai

While the academy has been in operation in Dubai for six years, the new centre, located at Burj Vista, will have improved facilities where students can access not just top local and international chefs, but also state-of-the-art machinery, said Anuj Pachauri, the marketing manager for Barry Callebaut Group.

Headquartered in Switzerland, Barry Callebaut is a cocoa processor and chocolate manufacturer, which also hosts the annual World Chocolate Masters, a global competition for chocolatiers. In September, Dilip Kumara, an assistant pastry chef at Dubai's Five Hotels and Resorts, was named the regional winner of the World Chocolate Masters and earned a place in the global finals, to be held in Paris in October 2022.

The Chocolate Academy's courses include "interactive programmes built by chefs, for chefs and even aspiring chefs from the public and also young entrepreneurs", Pachauri said.

"Our courses are comprehensive exploration of chocolate science, innovative techniques, and inspiring recipes carefully curated to expand the knowledge, refine the skills, and help our students become the chocolatier they aim to be."

Prices for courses depend on the level and the number of hours involved to learn the set skill. A new series of short courses, called Atelier Gourmand, to provide chocolate education to all chocolate lovers, starts at Dh350.

"Chocolate Academy centre will become the beating chocolate heart for chefs and chocolatiers not only in Dubai, but in the whole Middle East," Pachauri said.

More information on the academy is available at www.chocolate-academy.com.