Explore the Chocolate Museum with Willy Wonka this Saturday in Mumbai

Representation Pic

The Academy of Pastry and Culinary Arts (APCA) will make children's (and grown-ups') dreams come true with a Golden Ticket to the Chocolate Museum tour conducted by their very own Willy Wonka this Saturday. While chocolate tastings and workshops have become a regular weekend activity with frequent events popping up across the city, APCA takes it further by recreating the magic of chocolate as Roald Dahl and Tim Burton imagined it in the book and film, respectively.

Pastry chef Rubani Singh as Willy Wonka

Assistant pastry chef Rubani Singh will get into her Willy Wonka attire and lead the tour that will follow the history of chocolate and its journey from bean to bar. This segment of the tour is aided by visual representations of the chocolate-y kind; the pastry team has prepared installations depicting various aspects of chocolate history through sculptures made of chocolate. This includes small-scale edible displays of the cacao tree, utensils used to grind and drink chocolate, a miniature vending machine as well as Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec serpent god who is said to have gifted his people the cacao plant.

Chef Dean Rodrigues shapes a chocolate design

Singh and executive pastry chef Dean Rodrigues will guide participants in a tasting session and a workshop. "We will explain the different flavour profiles and notes in varieties of single-origin chocolate from across countries, along with tasting bonbons and truffles made by our team. And the workshop will teach participants how to work with chocolate, including tempering it and creating bars by themselves with customised toppings to take home later," she shares. The aim of the tour, which is open to participants above the age of 14 years, goes beyond developing an overall appreciation for chocolate.

Bonbons

Rodrigues adds, "We will not only focus on the consumption aspect of chocolate to help people understand flavours when they eat it, but also on its application such as the flavours that a variety of chocolate will contribute to a dish or other flavour combinations, so that they can use it in different forms." APCA founder, Dinesh Sharma notes that the tour will share the richness of information about chocolate from every perspective - historical, culinary and experiential.

A pastry spread with different types of chocolates

Still excited about the prospect of having a fun and eccentric character for a guide - not something often seen with tours in the city - we ask Singh about her preparation. "I have watched the movie at least 10 times now, to study his personality and mannerism from his walk to his laugh," she chuckles. The dedication and attention to detail put into the tour, chocolate installations and participation takeaway surely make this experience one that you should not miss.

A participant at a workshop (left) Dinesh Sharma (right) chef Rubani Singh

On: August 5; 11 am to 2 pm
At: APCA Mumbai, A Wing, Litolier Chambers, Marol, Andheri East.
Log on to: @apca_india
Call: 9987011137
Entry: Rs 2,500