LIFE’S ALWAYS BETTER WITH CHOCOLATE
Jacques Prosper Poulain, Vice President of Food Service & Corporate Chef, Aalst Chocolate shares the inside story on the intricacies of producing gourmet chocolates. By Priyanka Elhence
Since its inception in 2003, Aalst Chocolate is the first local brand of chocolate in Singapore to produce single-origin couvertures, compounds and chocolates, with a strong emphasis on quality and innovation. With six brands under its wing (including Louella, the premium consumer chocolate brand; and Pâtissier, a premier food service brand for professionals), Aalst Chocolate exports 98% of its products to over 55 countries all over the world to chefs, gourmet artisans and retail stores. As proof of the company’s commitment to quality excellence, Aalst Chocolate’s Dark 65 and 61 Range have been awarded the Gold Medal distinction by the prestigious Monde Selection.
“My love for chocolate started when I was still a child working for my dad in his pastry shop in France. I was 17 years old when I got my first job overseas and have never looked back since,” shares Jacques Prosper Poulain, Vice President of Food Service & Corporate Chef, Aalst Chocolate. “Throughout my career, I have been blessed to work with the best pastry chefs and MOF “Meilleur Ouvrier de France”, which translates to “best craftsman”. It is the biggest pastry title someone can earn in our industry. Together we have served some of the most prestigious and recognised celebrities around the globe. Travelling through different countries for more than 30 years gave me the perfect opportunity to satisfy my thirst for knowledge in everything related to chocolate, from visiting the most faraway cocoa plantations to picking the rarest cocoa beans, and tasting exquisite cocoa profiles and blends.”
Poulain joined Aalst Chocolate in March 2016 as the Vice President of Business Development for Food Service Brand, Pâtissier, as well as being its Corporate Chef, after having worked in many luxury hotel chains and being a business owner. “I felt it was the perfect time for me to join Aalst. It was a golden opportunity for me to elevate Pâtissier Chocolate to greater heights by drawing on my passion as a chocolatier, and combining it with my vast experience and entrepreneurial spirit,” he says. What’s my mantra? “Lots of love, finest ingredients and a little bit of magic.”
Sourcing cocoa beans
Pâtissier Chocolate, the premier chocolate ingredient range for chefs and gourmet artisans, is created using cocoa beans and mass sourced mainly from Madagascar, Venezuela, Ghana, Peru, Dominican Republic, and Sao Tome. West African beans such
as the ones from Ghana are well known for their full-bodied flavours, as the basic smoky aroma gives the chocolate its distinctive signature. Caribbean beans from Dominican Republic possess earthy, tobacco notes akin to wine. Alternatively, Latin America beans produce chocolate with a more floral and fruity accent. Cocoa beans from the different sources are then blended according to specific recipes, and this varying mixture of beans from the different regions determines the final flavour profile and intensity of each resulting chocolate. “From meticulous selection of the best cocoa worldwide, to an over 150-year-old process and state-of-the-art technology, Pâtissier Chocolate provides consistent yet creative blends in all its chocolate ingredients.”
Wearing two hats
Aalst Chocolate implements significant investments regularly to upgrade our state-of-the-art chocolate manufacturing equipment. The Singapore plant’s current annual production capacity is about 30,000 metric tons, and its unique fully equipped R&D lab also caters to the smallest of customisations when necessary. When asked about how he copes with having two such demanding titles, says Poulain, “Having a dual role is certainly challenging. Being the Vice-president of Pâtissier, I am always on the road, meeting and talking to people and customers as this is the best and fastest way to understand the ever-changing demand in the food service industry. Armed with this market knowledge, I am able to design the Pâtissier range accordingly. But at the end of the day, it is the chefs in the kitchen that will be using our chocolate. Hence, by being the Corporate Chef too, my primary role is to create a harmonious synergy between chefs and Pâtissier, bonding both parties together seamlessly.”
Future chocolate trends
“Currently, the trend is dark chocolate with less sugar and a stronger taste profile. With the world being more health conscious and multiple research showing that dark chocolate is beneficial to the body, I don’t see this trend declining in the near future,” forecasts Poulain.
“We have the two excellent dark couverture, Pâtissier Artisan 73% and 64% that perfectly match the market demand because of their unique taste and cocoa profile. In addition to that, our comprehensive range of products are not only able to keep up with the market trends, but can also successfully satisfy the different market segments.”
Pâtissier’s new packaging design for 2021 pays homage to the brand’s chocolates beginnings from Panamá and parts of Colombia, as it is inspired by Mola Art, which originates from the Kuna people of Panama, where the cocoa fruit is found in large quantities. The colourful Mola appliqué patterns for Pâtissier’s artisan range feature cocoa fruit and pods mola patterns, while Gourmand range feature cocoa flower and leaf mola patterns.
“From meticulous selection of the best cocoa worldwide, to an over 150-year-old process and state-of-the-art technology, Pâtissier Chocolate provides consistent yet creative blends in all its chocolate ingredients.”