Barry Callebaut opens latest Chocolate Academy in NYC’s foodie district

Part of the wider Chocolate Academy Centre network, which now has 27 academies across the globe, the NYC facility is located in the Meatpacking district, a neighbourhood like no other: a fusion of grit and glam, where old New York meets the frenetic 21st Century.

The city is known for attracting top talent from around the world in various industries including confectionery, pastry, and chocolate, making it the ideal spot for a new location. Nicoll Notter has been appointed as Head Chef and is the son of two pastry chefs. At age 21, Nicoll won Pastry Chef of the Year for the United States, being the youngest person to win the competition. In 2020 as captain of the Swiss National Team, Nicoll and the team won 1st place in the Coupe d’Europe held in Paris. With Nicoll’s current role as Head Chef, he said he is excited to help other professionals grow and wants to see the pastry scene continue to revolutionise.

Amy Heitkamp, VP & GM Gourmet Americas at Barry Callebaut, said: “New York City has a long history with the chocolate industry, dating back to the early 1900s. We are seeing a resurgence of chocolate culture in New York with the craft-chocolate movement and small bean-to-bar factories. We are proud to share chocolate culture and empower chefs to craft at their best; we partner with our customers to create the chocolate treats of tomorrow​.”

Steve Woolley, President & CEO Americas at Barry Callebaut, said there are four academies in Region Americas, which hosted over 13,800 participants in 2022. “We are thrilled to open our fifth location in a city with such deep ties to chocolate indulgence and cannot wait to get chocolate professionals in the door to learn from our best-in-class instructors and chefs.”​