A passion for chocolate

Dubai Chocolate Academy head Philippe Marand can never have enough chocolate in his day except at breakfast time.

Philippe Marand came to Dubai over a year ago to open the chocholate academy from scratch. Anna Nielsen for The National

Philippe Marand, 49, is the head of the newly opened Dubai Chocolate Academy, the first of its kind in the Middle East and Africa. A key figure of the gourmet world, the Frenchman has worked in such hallmarks of Parisian cuisine as The Ritz Paris, and as ambassador for Lenotre, a cookery school for professionals. He has also co-authored several books on chocolate design, and often travels as an international technical consultant for the French chocolate brand Barry Callebaut.

6am

I take a shower and have breakfast. I follow the old rule – breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper. Because I was working for Barry Callebaut in Spain before moving to Dubai, I’ve brought my Spanish traits with me, so I eat tomatoes and olive oil for breakfast. I’ll also have lots of cheese and tea. I don’t eat anything sweet in the morning.

8am

I drive from my home in Umm Sequim to the Chocolate Academy in Business Bay. I came to Dubai over a year ago to open the academy from scratch, so I chose the location and the staff. I know I’m lucky to work close to home. When I arrive, I open my emails. Then I’m busy preparing the recipes for the chocolate course I’m teaching that day.

8.30am

I start receiving people who have arrived for the course. We drink coffee together and wait until 9am when I officially welcome everyone. The courses take place over two days, with a maximum of 14 students. I teach courses on chocolate initiation, mini-chocolate showpieces and decorations, pastry and individual cakes and two different confectionery technology courses. Many of our students began by making chocolate recipes for their families, then decided to open a business in chocolate.

9.30am

We enter the lab. On the confectionery course, we make truffles and little chocolates with fillings such as fruits and chocolate, and cardamom or coffee or infusion. On day one, I explain technically how we make the inside of a chocolate. With truffles, we use ganache (chocolate and cream) most of the time, or praline nut products. On day two, we explain how to enrobe them with chocolate using a machine to give that chocolate crust.

10.30am

Break time. On these courses, students meet others who share their passion for chocolate. I love a dark, bitter chocolate myself. But asking about what your favourite chocolate is, is like asking a Frenchman what his favourite cheese is. It’s very difficult because there are so many types – the taste depends on where it’s from, the soil the bean has grown in, and the way it has been worked and processed.

11am

Back to the lab for more teaching. To be able to memorise the taste of the chocolate, you need to taste it several times at different times of the day. It allows you to know all the different flavours you can have around each product.

12.30pm

I have lunch with the students. There is a range of restaurants nearby; we propose a different one every day.

1pm

Back to work. I’ve been delivering courses for 20 years now, and I’ve found some people have a natural talent and others a passion; those with passion go much further than those with the natural talent. But you need to try making chocolate at least once to know if you like it. I just carved an Arabic horse at the chocolate academy and people were amazed by it.

4.30pm

We sit in our meeting room to review the recipes made during the day. Also, I give a technical session.

5pm

The students head home with the chocolate they have produced. Then I prepare for the next course. We have lots of customers in this region, and sometimes they’ll give me a call or send an email saying they have a technical problem that needs solving.

6pm

Back at home, I spend time with my wife and teenage children. They’re always happy when I bring home chocolate to eat from work.

7pm

I go cycling around Al Qudra Cycling Track. I’ll have a snack of nuts and chocolate before – a good thing to eat before doing sport.

9pm

My wife or I usually cook fish and vegetables for dinner. I go to bed any time between 9pm and 11pm, depending on the sort of day I’ve had.

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