The First Chocolate Tasters Certification Course in India Sees a Strong Turnout

The First Chocolate Tasters Certification Course in India Sees a Strong Turnout

Cocoashala recently hosted the highly anticipated and immersive Bean to Bar Chocolate Making & Chocolate Taster course. The event was held in collaboration with IICCT UK in Chennai and was a first for India, drawing enthusiastic attendees from across the world.

The three-level event featured L Nitin Chordia, India’s 1st certified chocolate taster and Martin Christy, Founder of IICCT. The two were the hosts of the certification course, which is designed to give participants the requisite sensory and tasting skills, allowing them to gain a deeper understanding of chocolate and cacao.

The courses included classroom-based deep diving into the art of tasting chocolate using the IICCT online flavour map tool, aroma and sensory archetype development, defects in cacao and chocolate, cocoa post-harvest, chocolate production, cacao varietals, cacao farming, the impact of multiple variables on flavour etc.

Two images, the first showing an attendee trying a nut, the second with the host giving two thumbs up

The attendees experience Honey, Tea, Filter Coffee, Ice Cream and Nuts Tasting as part of the aroma and sensory archetype development process.

The other activities included a cacao/chocolate-infused 5-course meal and an evening featuring and tasting the top 20 International chocolate award (ICA) winning chocolates.

Images showing one of the farm visits and workers fermenting the beans

The Level 3 Attendees visited three cacao farms, two fermentation units and three chocolate-making units across 3 South Indian states. It was the first time a course of this type had been held in India.

“We were thrilled to see such a strong turnout for the chocolate taster’s certification course,” said L Nitin Chordia, Co-Founder at Cocoashala. “The chocolate taster’s certification showcased the very best of cacao and chocolate, and we were delighted to provide a platform for aspiring entrepreneurs of India and from across the world to experience and learn about cacao and chocolate in greater detail.”

Attendees inside a chocolate factory

The success of the chocolate taster’s certification course is a testament to Cocoashala’s commitment to bringing the best available knowledge to the participants of the Indian cacao and chocolate industry to help put India on the global cacao and chocolate map as we look forward to continuing to bring innovative and engaging events to our community in the future.

About Cocoashala, Poonam Chordia & L Nitin Chordia
Cocoashala, Chennai, is the world’s first and only bean-to-bar incubation centre and training institute. It is focused on placing India on the world cacao map. Cocoashala trains top bean-to-bar makers in India and help them grow in this highly profitable and exciting Bean to Bar chocolate-making industry.

Cocoashala’s founders are Poonam Chordia & L Nitin Chordia, both based in Chennai and India’s 1st Certified Chocolate Tasters (Male & Female). Nitin has been a judge at the International Chocolate Awards and is the first external faculty at the Institute of fine chocolate tasting London and has been hosting India’s 1st Chocolate tasting certification in Chennai since June 2018.

Cocoatrait represents India in international cocoa conferences/events and represents Indian cacao. Poonam & Nitin also operates the world’s 1st and most sustainable chocolate brand called Kocoatrait.

Read more news from the food industry in our dedicated section.

Course attendees learning how to taste for defective beansThe First Chocolate Tasters Certification Course in India Sees a Strong Turnout 2

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