Subscribe
E-Paper
 |
| Models wearing outfits adorned with chocolate pose at the "cacao show" in this photo provided by the Salon du Chocolat Seoul, Jan. 8. / Courtesy of the Salon du Chocolat Seoul |
By Kwak Yeon-soo
"Salon du Chocolat," an annual exhibition on all things related to chocolate, will be held at COEX convention center in Samseong-dong, Seoul, from Jan. 10 to 12.
Since the exhibition began in Paris in 1994, it has been held in 34 cities in 17 countries, including London, New York, Moscow, Tokyo and Seoul.
Under the theme "Taste the Art," it will offer various events including a "cacao show," where dresses with chocolate adornments will be showcased on the runway, and a "choco demo," a demonstration by a pastry chef. The cacao show will present the collaborative work between the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and chocolatiers.
At "Choco Land" visitors can make chocolate. "Choco Art" presents artworks made of chocolate, while chocolate restaurants offer a variety of recipes using chocolate as a main ingredient.
"Visitors will not only be able to see a nice variety of things that people can do with chocolate, but also feel the value in a piece of chocolate," said Shin Hyun-dae, the event's organizer.
"It will be an exciting time for consumers and professionals in the dessert industry to come together and promote sustainable growth."
 |
| From left are chocolatiers Yun Eun-young, Jung Young-taek, Jung Hong-yeon, Ko Eun-su and Eric Kim / Courtesy of the Salon du Chocolat Seoul |
Those attending the "Chef's Salon" will have the opportunity to meet well-known chocolate experts, including chocolatiers Mario Padial, Yun Mun-ju and YouTuber Arikitchen.
Jung Young-taek, who is the first master chocolatier in Korea, will also attend the event.
"Chocolate is more than a confectionary delicacy. It's become a culture now ― chocolate can make people happy, many express their gratitude through chocolate and enjoy festivals through chocolate. There are so many things that can be done with chocolate," Jung said.
Eric Kim, a pastry chef, said that compared with the past, chefs and chocolate brands are trying to develop more bold and diverse flavors of chocolates.
"Some chocolates have fruity qualities while others smell more nutty. I would like visitors to discover a diverse world of flavor and aroma of chocolate," Kim said.
Ko Eun-su, a chocolatier who will be attending the sixth Salon du Chocolat in Seoul, also shared his secret to making chocolate.
"I try to provide unique and enjoyable experiences through chocolate bonbon. I'm constantly trying to create new products by adding various ideas into chocolate. Some of the results of my experiments include truffle pasta ― and yakgwa- (traditional honey pastry) flavored chocolate," Ko said.
The organizer has named Ghana as the country of honor for this year's event. Ghana, home to premium quality cocoa, will participate in the event by holding a series of seminars, sharing some investment and business opportunities in Ghana's cocoa sector.
Officials from Embassy of Ghana in Seoul, Ghana Cocoa Board, Ghana Export Promotion Authority and Ghana Investment Promotion Center will also attend the event.
The exhibition is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tickets cost 10,000 won for adults and 7,000 won for students in elementary, middle and high school. Children not yet attending school can enter for free.
Last year, the Salon du Chocolat in Seoul attracted 38,271 visitors from 23 countries. More than 130 companies participated in the event from 13 countries.
