UK's Biggest Celebration of Chocolate Returns to Olympia
In partnership with Chocolate Week (10-16th October), the UK's fourth Chocolate Show will be held at Olympia from 14-16th October. Celebrating chocolate in all its forms, The Chocolate Show's 100 exhibitors will be showcasing bars, truffles, patisserie, cakes, desserts, baking, sculptures and much more. Alongside the indulgent treats, free tastings and a spectacular chocolate fashion show, there will also be demonstrations from celebrity favourites.
Visitors will learn how to recreate their own chocolate masterpieces with demonstrations (and tasters!) from top chocolatiers, pastry artists, patissiers and award winning chefs including Vivek Singh, Sarah Barber and Harpreet Baura in The Chocolate Theatre.
Over in The Tasting Room, samplings, talks, tastings and pairing sessions will take place on everything from bean to bar chocolate, exotic brands and beer matching in sessions hosted by Cocoa Runners, The International Chocolate Awards and the Academy of Chocolate.
There are activities for all the family including fantastical Roald Dahl inspired children's workshops with Rococo, where little ones will be kept busy with activities such as Twits Chocolate Beard Making and a Design your Own Chocolate Bar Wrapper competition!
Exhibitors at the show come from 10 countries around the world including France, Italy, Japan, Ecuador and the US. Trendsetters and brand new exhibitors at the show include Paxton Chocolates, Smiths: L’Art du Chocolat and J Cocoa, who will be joining regular exhibitors and household names such as Divine, Lauden, Akesson’s, Duffy Sheardown, The Chocolatier, VENCHI and Leonidas.
The infamous Chocolate Fashion Show will also return to London, with awe-inspiring dresses made from chocolate dazzling their way down the world’s tastiest catwalk. Some of the top talent from the UK chocolate industry such as Carmen Rueda-Hernandez, the head pastry chef from The Fat Duck and Mark Tilling, winner of GBBO Crème de la Crème will be letting their imaginations run wild whilst designing and creating gowns good enough to eat.
For the first time ever, The Chocolate Show will also be shining the spotlight on the unsung kitchen heroes - the pastry chefs - in the Chocolate Dessert of the Year competition, the first of its kind to grace the UK food scene. Debuting in October, the competition is pleased to announce a prestigious line up of high profile judges including: -
Xanthe Clay - The Telegraph; Rebecca Woollard - Delicious Food Editor; Paul A Young - master chocolatier; Chantal Coady - founder of Rococo Chocolates; Sara Jayne Stanes OBE - Chief Executive of The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts; Frankie McCoy - the Evening Standard; Cherish Finden - judge on Great British Bake Off Crème de la Crème and Martin Chiffers - UK Pastry Team President.
Judging of the shortlisted desserts will take place on the Friday afternoon of the show in front of a live audience.
With an increasing trend for good quality chocolate in the UK, The Chocolate Show is the perfect place to discover more about one of the nation’s favourite ingredients! The event takes place at Olympia London from 14th-16th October 2016, as the grand finale of Chocolate Week.
- 14-16th October, National Hall, Olympia, London
- Times: Friday: open from 11am to 7pm; ?Saturday: open from 10am to 7pm;?Sunday: open from 10am to 6pm
- Prices: Adult: £15 on the door / £12.50 in advance; Child (from 4 to 12 years old): £10 on the door/ £8 in advance
Visit www.thechocolateshow.co.uk for more information and to book tickets. Follow on Twitter @chocolateweek
Last year's show is available to see on YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfG9h99ehf4