CHOCOLATE OF THE CENTURY

This year, French premium chocolate producer Valrhona celebrates a great milestone with its 100th Anniversary. We pick the mind of WENCESLAS WEDRYCHOWSKI, General Manager of Valrhona Asia Pacific, who tells us all about how the brand has endured the times to become synonymous with greatness.

- NASEEM RANDHAWA

Surrounded by all sorts of wonderful chocolate creations at the 100th Anniversary celebration of Valrhona, can’t help but pose this question to Wenceslas Wedrychowski, the General Manager of Valrhona Asia Pacific: Do you ever tire of being around so much chocolate?”

Although I anticipate his answer to be packaged in a positive light, Wenceslas charmingly replies and his sincerity shines through. No, never. It has become part of my daily routine now. It’s in my blood,” he smiles. Especially with having kids, they ask me for chocolates every morning!”

It is amazing to learn that Valrhona has been around for a century. The chocolatier first came about in 1922, when pastry chef Albéric Guironnet set up a workshop in the Rhone Valley, the French region after which he would name his business: Valrhona. There, he developed a chocolate manufacturing business devoted to serving his fellow flavour creatives.