Chocoholics Rejoice: 20 Students Learn from Chef Arno Ralph

In early July, South African chef Arno Ralph led a masterclass on chocolate at the Chef Zulfekar Ali Academy in Phoenix, Mauritius. The two-day event, which took place on July 1st and 2nd, was attended by around twenty students and pastry chefs.

The masterclass was made possible thanks to Cascadelle Distribution, which invited Chef Arno Ralph to Mauritius. Chef Zulfekar Ali, the founder of the academy, hosted the event and invited his students and some hotel chefs to participate.

The participation was free of charge, and the attendees were highly engaged throughout the two-day session.

Chef Zulfekar Ali emphasized the importance of these masterclasses, stating that they provide valuable knowledge to professionals who may not have the expertise to work with certain products.

“Before, we had products but didn’t know how to work with them. With the arrival of these specialist chefs, we acquire more knowledge,” he said.

Hervé Chan, the owner of Cascadelle Distribution, has been in the distribution business for 35 years and imports Barry Callebaut chocolate from Belgium.

He aimed to make professionals aware of this high-quality product and believed that having international chefs share their expertise is crucial for the development of the industry.

“It’s a Belgian chocolate meant for pastry chefs.

To help them get to know this product better, we brought in trainer Arno Ralph to lead this chocolate masterclass.

We believe it’s essential to have foreign chefs come and share their skills with our professionals.

This is our first event of this kind, but we plan to organize more in different locations in the future.”

The eight-hour masterclass was divided into two days and began with a tasting of various chocolates to help participants differentiate between them.

Chef Arno Ralph then provided a historical overview of chocolate, its origin, and manufacturing process.

The masterclass continued with explanations on tempering and different preparations using chocolate.

“The masterclass went smoothly, with a good balance of theory and practice,” said Chef Zulfekar Ali.

For Chef Arno Ralph, it was a pleasure to be in Mauritius and share his knowledge on chocolate.

“Cascadelle Distribution is one of the branches of Barry Callebaut distribution, a well-known brand worldwide. I’m here to offer training sessions around this chocolate. It’s essential to know how to work with chocolate, especially tempering.

The climate is different here, but it’s not complicated; you just need to adjust the temperature.” He added that both sessions on both days were identical and went smoothly.

Chocolate is a beloved treat for people of all ages, but it’s essential to consume it in moderation.

The tasting session focused mainly on dark chocolate, which is considered healthier than milk chocolate due to its higher antioxidant content.

For those interested in pastry-making, Chef Zulfekar Ali Academy is ready to welcome them with open arms.

Source: l’Express