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ARTISTIC CHOCOLATE COURSES

Retail chocolate figurines and Holiday amenities (República del Cacao)

June 11-13, 2024 - 3 days

Gonzo Jiménez

North America Corporate Pastry Chef, República del Cacao

@chef.gonzo

Brooklyn, NY

$ 1200 $ 840
30% discount off all classes for north american cercle v members
Interested in participating in the class Have questions ? Email ecolebrooklyn@valrhona.com

República del Cacao’s Corporate Pastry Chef Gonzo Jiménez will teach you how to execute beautiful chocolate figurines for retail operations and hotel amenities. Learn to create playful presentations and eye catching small individual themed pieces, filled with chocolate confections and caramels. Class will also cover European chocolate trends and how to adapt them to the US market. Chef Gonzo will share his experience in the chocolate business. He will discuss profitability, sales, packaging and marketing themed experiences that are unique to each business and tell a story.

OBJECTIVES:

  • Techniques for crafting beautiful chocolate figurines
  • Understanding and incorporating current European chocolate trends
  • Adapting European styles to the US market
  • Leveraging social media and online platforms for business success

Class price includes light breakfast and coffee in the morning, lunch each day, a class recipe book, apron, travel mug, pen, a professional photographer, as well as all materials, ingredients, and equipment needed for class.

Chef Referral Program

Refer a friend for a l’École Valrhona Brooklyn 2024 professional class and receive a $200 credit to use towards a 2024 class, your friend will also receive a $200 credit to use towards the class they sign up for!

Learn More

Biography

Chef Gonzo Jiménez was born in Northern Argentina, raised in a Spanish household surrounded by good food and long family meals. At the age of 17, he started working in restaurants and fell in love with the culinary world. He enrolled in pastry and culinary school in Buenos Aires. After completing his studies, he traveled around the country working for 5 star hotels and celebrity chefs. ​

 From 2009 to 2013, Chef Gonzo worked for large hotels in the United States including the St. Julien in Boulder, CO and The Hyatt Corporation in New Orleans and New York. Most notable amongst his various accomplishments throughout this period was the launch of his personal line of chocolates, providing different hotels throughout Manhattan, NY with high end confections. ​

 In 2013, he moved back to South America to work at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Santiago de Chile. Soon after he accepted a highly coveted position with Barry Callebaut as a Corporate Chef for the South American Region and Director of the Chocolate Academy in Chile. ​

Current Netflix show Bakesquad has launched Chef Gonzo’s career into a different dimension, showcasing his chocolate art skills globally and turning him into a celebrity chef. ​

Chef Gonzo is República del Cacao’s Corporate Pastry Chef for the United States and North America. He travels North America representing the brand by teaching classes, giving demos, and providing technical assistance to all its customers. ​

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 or 100% class credit to be used within a year of the cancellation date. If you cancel within one week of the class you will receive a 50% class credit to be used within one year of the cancelation date. 

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 offer you the choice of a full refund or a class credit to be used within one year of the cancelation date. 

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

 *Offer cannot be combined with any additional discounts. Only eligible for classes taught in the United States.*

Contact us at ecolebrooklyn@valrhona.com for more details!