Barry Callebaut offers unique Valentine’s Day opportunities to learn the art of candy-making from acclaimed pastry chef

WHAT:
Barry Callebaut, the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality cocoa and chocolate products, will offer two Valentine’s Day courses that are open to the public at its Chocolate Academy in Chicago, including:

* “Making Valentine Candies” – Instead of buying chocolate this Valentine’s Day, participants in this class will learn how to make their very own chocolate candies and bonbons using gourmet Callebaut chocolate and special molds.

* “Chocolate Date Night” – This course, which will be held the night before Valentine’s Day, will allow couples to spend some quality time together, while constructing a chocolate gift box that they’ll fill with their own homemade chocolate truffles and chocolate-dipped strawberries. As part of the course, participants also will be able to take part in a chocolate-and-wine tasting.

The courses will be taught by Richard Cusick, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and an executive pastry chef who has worked in a number of top-rated Chicago restaurants, including Ambria, Everest Room and Charlie Trotter’s.

WHEN:
“Making Valentine Candies” class – Thursday, Jan. 29, 2009 from 6 to 8 p.m.
“Chocolate Date Night” class – Friday, Feb. 13, 2009 from 7 to 9 p.m.

WHERE:
Barry Callebaut Chocolate Academy
600 W. Chicago Ave., Suite 860
Chicago, IL 60610

REGISTRATION:
To register for the classes, consumers may call 1-866-443-0347 or visit www.bcna-chocolateacademy.com. The registration fee for the “Making Valentine Candies” class is $150 per person, and the fee for the “Chocolate Date Night” class is $200 per couple.

ABOUT THE CHOCOLATE ACADEMY:
The Barry Callebaut Chocolate Academy in Chicago is a state-of-the-art, 8,500-square-foot training center offering a diverse range of seminars, demonstrations, theoretical courses and practical workshops designed to inspire artisans and culinary professionals, including pastry chefs, confectioners, bakers and caterers from around the globe. Barry Callebaut also operates Chocolate Academies in Belgium, Canada, China, France, India, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Singapore, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. To register for classes, call 1-866-443-0347 or visit www.bcna-chocolateacademy.com.