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BEGINNER Fundamentals of Chocolate Bonbons
CHOCOLATE & CONFECTIONS COURSES

Fundamentals of Chocolate Bonbons

May 18-20, 2027 - 3 days

Mario Bacherini

Ecole Valrhona Pastry Chef - North America

@mightysugar

Brooklyn, NY

$ 1520 $ 1064
30% discount off all classes for north american cercle v members
Interested in participating in the class

Have questions ? Email ecolebrooklyn[at]valrhona[dot]com

Class Level: BEGINNER

Build a strong foundation in chocolate bonbon production with this hands-on class led by L'Ecole Valrhona Chef Mario Bacherini. Designed for professionals looking to learn or strengthen their chocolate skills, this course covers the essential techniques behind professional-quality bonbons, including molded, framed, mechanically enrobed, and hand-coated confections. Participants will also gain a deeper understanding of ganache formulation, mold decoration, spraying techniques, and chocolate handling fundamentals.

Throughout the class, chefs will develop a range of bonbons while learning the workflows and production methods used in professional chocolate shops, hotels, restaurants, and confectionery operations. Emphasis will be placed on building confidence, consistency, and technical precision, providing participants with the practical skills needed to successfully produce and scale chocolate bonbons.

Please note this class is designed for beginner to intermediate pastry professionals, chocolatiers, and culinary professionals looking to learn chocolate bonbon production from the ground up or strengthen their existing fundamentals.

Chef's Perspective

Build confidence in chocolate through the essential techniques, precision, and craftsmanship of L'École Valrhona.

Objectives:

  • Master the fundamentals of molded, framed, and enrobed bonbon production
  • Understand ganache formulation, handling, preservation, and storage best practices
  • Learn mold decoration, spraying, and finishing techniques for professional results
  • Develop efficient chocolate production workflows
  • Gain confidence using both manual and mechanical coating and enrobing techniques

Recipe Examples

  • Raspberry Pâte de Fruit & Pistachio Ganache Bi-Layer Bonbon
  • Tahitian Vanilla White Chocolate Bonbon
  • Hazelnut Praliné Rocher

Typical Daily Schedule

8:30 AM - 9:00 AM
Homemade breakfast and locally roasted coffee

9:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Hands-on class

Around 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Catered Lunch break

1:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Hands-on class

Day 1 Only | 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Happy Hour Gathering with fellow participants and the L'École Valrhona Brooklyn team

Class schedule is intended as a general guideline and may vary depending on the chef instructor, class theme, and pace of the group.
Some classes may extend beyond the scheduled end time to ensure all techniques and course content are fully covered. For this reason, we recommend avoiding return travel arrangements that require you to leave promptly at 5:00 PM. Please keep this flexibility in mind when planning your trip.

A Truly Hands-On Experience

To ensure a personalized learning environment, classes are limited to 12 participants maximum, with 3 participants per workstation.

This intimate class size allows every student to actively participate, engage directly with the chef instructor, ask questions throughout the course, and gain meaningful hands-on experience with every technique demonstrated.

Biography

Chef Mario Bacherini has had a career spanning over two decades across Europe, North America, and the Middle East. A graduate of culinary school in Florence, Italy, he began his journey as a chocolatier apprentice before honing his craft in Michelin-starred kitchens throughout Italy and France. His formative years included training under Olivier Bajard, Meilleur Ouvrier de France, in Perpignan. 

In 2008, Chef Bacherini moved to Paris to join the prestigious Hôtel Plaza Athénée, where he worked alongside French Pastry World Champion Christophe Michalak and contributed to Alain Ducasse’s three Michelin-starred restaurant within the hotel. 

By 2012, he had relocated to New York City to serve as Executive Pastry Chef at Nobu, overseeing pastry operations across three restaurants. During this time, he also traveled globally to lead masterclasses in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Russia, Italy, France, and the United States, sharing his expertise with professionals and aspiring chefs alike. 

In 2017, Chef Bacherini settled in Los Angeles, where he was teaching pastry as an instructor and then launched his own consulting company. Through this venture, he has helped elevate emerging bakeries, pastry shops, and restaurants by developing menus, optimizing production workflows, conducting R&D, and training staff. 

Since 2023, Chef Bacherini has held the role of Valrhona’s Pastry Chef for the U.S. West Coast and Canada, continuing to inspire and innovate within the pastry community. 

Public Transportation
Subway: High St/ York St – A, C, F

Parking
Park Kwik - 45 Main Street (Dumbo)
Front & York Garage (LAZ Parking / Front & York) - 135 York St

Hotel Recommendation
Hotel recommendations can be provided by our team upon request.

L'École Valrhona Brooklyn exists to bring professionals together through education, collaboration, and the sharing of expertise. To keep our programs accessible while maintaining the highest quality standards, class fees are only designed to cover the costs of delivering each course. As a result, many expenses are incurred before the class begins, including ingredients, printed materials, meals, etc. For this reason, the following cancellation policy applies:

  • If you cancel 45 days or more prior to the first day of class, you will be completely refunded.
  • If you cancel within 45 days you will receive a 50% refund.
  • We are unable to offer refunds for cancellations made within 8 business days of the class start date. 
    If you are unable to attend, registration may be transferred to another chef from the same organization at no additional cost, provided we are notified in advance.

We do our best to avoid canceling or rescheduling classes, however, please be aware that classes are subject to change due to conflicts, instructor illness, travel issues, etc. We will contact you immediately in case of any date changes or course cancellations. In the case a class is rescheduled or canceled we will offer you a full refund.

As Valrhona is not responsible for your travels we recommend booking refundable forms of transportation and accommodations, so if an unforeseen change occurs you will not be charged. 

What's Included In Your Class Experience?

  • Comprehensive recipe booklet featuring all recipes, and course materials
  • Official L'École Valrhona diploma upon completion of the course
  • Daily homemade breakfast prepared by our team, including some L'École favorites such as Carmen's famous granola and house-made brioche & viennoiseries
  • Catered lunches each day from select local Brooklyn businesses
  • Happy Hour gathering after the first day of class to connect with fellow chefs & L'École Valrhona team
  • L'École Valrhona apron to take home
  • Dedicated WhatsApp group to connect with classmates before, during, and after the course
  • Group photo and individual photo opportunity with the chef instructor
  • Farewell Champagne toast and tasting buffet at the conclusion of the course
  • Curated surprise gift bag
  • Networking opportunity: learn alongside chefs, pastry professionals, chocolatiers, and business owners from across the country
  • Use of L'École Valrhona's professional equipment, tools, and facilities
Dress Code

For food safety and kitchen comfort, please come prepared with the following:

  • Your own chef jacket
  • Professional kitchen attire
  • Socks and Closed-toe, non-slip shoes
  • Long hair must be tied back & Fingernails should be kept short and clean
  • One L'École Valrhona apron will be provided upon arrival for use during class and yours to keep afterward

Our kitchen can be cool. We recommend bringing an extra layer.

We're Looking Forward to Welcoming You at L'Ecole Valrhona Brooklyn

Have questions about a class, registration, travel planning, skill level, etc.? Our team is here to help.