Salon du Chocolat features an amazing variety and the most innovative chocolate
Attending the 2009 World Chocolate Masters Championships (WCMC) in Paris was the catalyst around which we planned the remainder of our trip to Europe that fall. Imagine being among the top chocolate creators of the world (some of whom were serving as judges, some were participating in the competition, and others were offering demonstrations and meeting members of the public upstairs at the Salon du Chocolat, the massive chocolate event for consumers (i.e. chocolate lovers.) It was quite the experience! We were indeed big kids in the world’s biggest candy store! But this show is unquestionably for big kids, although there were a few privileged tiny tots in attendance.
Even babies enjoy being wrapped in the excitement of the Salon du Chocolat.
To clarify, the WCMC is a trade show and competition for those working in the chocolate industry. We were allowed entrance via pre-screened media badges we had been awarded. Congrats to a young Japanese chef for taking first place, Lionel Clement who makes his chocolate creations at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas took second place, and a woman — Michaela Karg of Germany took third place. It was nice to see a woman in the top rankings as chocolate is definitely a male-dominated profession — despite the fact that women purchase and consume 80% of the world’s fine chocolate.
The Salon du Chocolat is held in the same venue as the WCMC and is open to all chocolate and cocoa enthusiasts. It not only offeres a huge selection of chocolatiers from most parts of the world, but also other forms of candy such as nougat, macaroons and desserts as well as products that complement chocolate such as spices, liquors, and kitchen equipment and tools to assist you in your candy making pursuits. What a tasty experience!
We were pleased to visit the Bailey’s tasting booth more than once and especially enjoyed the coffee flavoured Bailey’s. It definitely goes well with chocolate. We also really enjoyed the chocolate fashion show! Yes, that is haute couture adorned with real chocolate!
There was an amazing haute couture fashion show at Salon du Chocolat in which the garments were adorned with real chocolate!
With more than 400 exhibitors, there is something for everyone. Watch a video showing the finest in chocolate couture, see a listing of world chocolate shows and learn more about the Salon du Chocolat here. Assuming all is under control with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Salon du Chocolat public event in Paris will be held October 28-November 1, 2021. Consider attending if you want to push your senses, as the world of fine chocolate is filled with adventure and sensuality. This global passion for the world of fine chocolate is the premise of volume I of my book, Chocolatour: A Quest for the World’s Best Chocolate and what drives me forward in my continuing research for volumes II and III of Chocolatour.
The World Chocolate Masters Championships were last held in Paris, October 31- November 2, 2018. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, The next biennial World Chocolate Masters Championships will be held in Paris, October, 2022.
You’ll find an amazing array of chocolate and other sweets at the Salon du Chocolat.
Known throughout the Web as the "Wizard of Words", I've been a freelance writer since 1993. I researched and wrote Volume I of Chocolatour that won a Readers' favourite Award in 2014. Always enjoy experiencing new destinations and flavours.
The organizers of the Salon du Chocolat in Paris have optimistically scheduled an event for Oct 30-November 1, 2021. It takes a year for the competitions leading up to the finals of the World Chocolate Masters Championships. So that event has been scheduled for October, 2022.
Thanks so much for your comment, Bev. Yes, we women really do biologically NEED chocolate, and therefore it is only natural that we should crave and want to eat it.
Hi Christine: Thanks for your comments. In Belgium most chocolate making is of the artisan variety and made by hand. Truly amazing in this day and age. In France, what we witnessed was a minimal amount of machinery used to assist human production. And in Switzerland, because of the mass quantities they produce, most chocolate production is fully automated with a minimal amount of human intervention. Amazingly, though, the quality of the machine-made products is so advanced that I dare you to do a taste test and be able to determine whether the chocolate creation you are tasting was made by man (woman) or machine.
The Salon du Chocolat sounds intriguing and decadent. I've visited a couple of chocolate factories here, but the artistry you describe, and show in the photos was not evident. Most if not all of the chocolate-making was done by machines. People were there just to supervise the machines and perhaps do some of the packaging. This looks to be much fun.
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"Come Chocolatouring with me! Whether you engage in chocolate travel virtually via my books and blog, or in person via the chocolate dinners, pairing events or tours, I’m thrilled to have you join me on this global journey of chocolate discovery."
The organizers of the Salon du Chocolat in Paris have optimistically scheduled an event for Oct 30-November 1, 2021. It takes a year for the competitions leading up to the finals of the World Chocolate Masters Championships. So that event has been scheduled for October, 2022.
I always learn something new when I read your blogs about chocolate. I did not know that women purchase and consume 80% of the world’s chocolate.
Thanks so much for your comment, Bev. Yes, we women really do biologically NEED chocolate, and therefore it is only natural that we should crave and want to eat it.
Hi Christine:
Thanks for your comments. In Belgium most chocolate making is of the artisan variety and made by hand. Truly amazing in this day and age. In France, what we witnessed was a minimal amount of machinery used to assist human production. And in Switzerland, because of the mass quantities they produce, most chocolate production is fully automated with a minimal amount of human intervention. Amazingly, though, the quality of the machine-made products is so advanced that I dare you to do a taste test and be able to determine whether the chocolate creation you are tasting was made by man (woman) or machine.
The Salon du Chocolat sounds intriguing and decadent. I've visited a couple of chocolate factories here, but the artistry you describe, and show in the photos was not evident. Most if not all of the chocolate-making was done by machines. People were there just to supervise the machines and perhaps do some of the packaging. This looks to be much fun.