The Barry Callebaut Group, a renowned manufacturer of premium chocolate and cocoa products, has announced the opening of its second Chocolate Academy Center in the United States. Located in the bustling city of New York, the new center will serve as a hub for chefs and artisans to hone their talent and skills in a creative environment. The launch of this facility is part of the wider network of Chocolate Academy Centers, which now spans 27 academies worldwide.
The Barry Callebaut Group has chosen the Meatpacking District as the location for its new Chocolate Academy Center in New York City. This vibrant and dynamic neighborhood, which blends the historic and modern facets of the city, attracts some of the world’s most talented professionals across industries, including pastry, confectionery, and chocolate making it the perfect destination for the new facility.
Nicoll Notter, the youngest person to win the Pastry Chef of the Year for the United States at the age of 21, has been appointed as the Head Chef of the Chocolate Academy Center in October 2022. He comes from a family of pastry chefs and led the Swiss National Team to win the Coupe d’Europe held in Paris in 2020. As the head chef, Notter is eager to assist other professionals in their growth and aims to keep revolutionizing the pastry scene.
Amy Heitkamp, Vice President and General Manager, Barry Callebaut, said, “New York City has a long history with the chocolate industry, dating back to the early 1900s. We are seeing a resurgence of chocolate culture in New York with the craft-chocolate movement and small bean-to-bar factories. We are proud to share chocolate culture and empower chefs to craft at their best; we partner with our customers to create the chocolate treats of tomorrow.”
Steve Woolley, President and Chief Executive Officer, Barry Callebaut, said, “New York City continues to be a core place of growth and culture for the Americas. We look forward to serving as the premier chocolate and cocoa innovation place in a city with a long-standing food culture. In Region Americas, we currently have five Chocolate Academy Centers which hosted over 13,800 participants in 2022. We are thrilled to open our sixth location in a city with such deep ties to chocolate indulgence and cannot wait to get chocolate professionals in the door to learning from our best-in-class instructors and chefs.”
