The ‘For the Love of Chocolate’ gala was once again an extravaganza drenched in chocolate, with highlights including chocolate stilettos, a chocolate time machine and an edible chocolate garden. We almost O.D.’d on chocolate. (What a delicious way to die.)
It was the annual bash for The French Pastry School held in Chicago earlier this month and The Food Channel was there in body and spirit. The fundraiser cleared more than $30,000 for future pastry scholarships to the school, and the show was amazing…and truly luscious.
Sponsors of the event included Plugra European Style Butter, Sara Lee, Swiss American Imports and Felchlin Chocolate.
A Chocolate Covered Journey
Each guest was steered through several different-themed rooms using their “Chocolate Passport” beginning with the Edible Sculpture Garden in the lobby where they witnessed Chef Alain Roby’s (of the Hyatt Regency in Chicago) “Time Machine“—a 16-foot high chocolate-churning machine.
Guests tasted the products of Bleeding Heart Bakery, Lovely: A Bake Shop, and Sweet Collective, all establishments owned and operated by graduates of The French Pastry School. All of the chocolate sculptures, candies and products were made using at least 5,000 pounds of chocolate.
Click here for a music video taste of the event.
Desserts and chocolate in all forms imaginable created a unique ambiance in the Cocoa Sutra area where body painters, masseurs, and belly dancers moved alongside more vendors including Sarah’s Pastries & Candies and Vanille Patisserie.
One of our favorite stops on the tour was ChocolateGrape, a Chicago wine and chocolate café, where we learned a little about the art of wine and chocolate pairing…what a delectable duo.
Here are links to some of our other favorite exhibitors we visited at the gala.
