Featuring chocolate tastings, pairings and delectable stories.

Although Venchi only made its debut on Malaysian shores back in November 2023, the brand &mdash; founded in 1878 by Silviano Venchi &mdash; boasts more than 146 years of history. Today, the brand has 250 chocolate recipes and 90 flavours of gelato, with presence in 70 countries via over 180 stores (including stores at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur and The Exchange TRX), with more expansion down the pipeline &mdash; all in the spirit of sharing a little chocolaty happiness with the world &mdash; one silky bite and one perfect scoop at a time.

To offer a deeper glimpse into the world of Venchi, the brand hosted an exquisite chocolate tasting session with its brand ambassador and master chocolatier, G.B. Mantelli &mdash; who isn&rsquo;t just the keeper of Venchi&rsquo;s traditional recipes, but also the man behind some of its most beloved treats, including the signature Chocoviars. Set against the tropical beauty of Capella Singapore on Sentosa Island, the sun-drenched day and lush rainforest surroundings made for the perfect backdrop for the master chocolatier's Southeast Asia stop.

The delectable day began with a chocolate tasting affair &mdash; but not just any chocolate tasting. Given the tropical setting, the session came with a localised twist. The flavour adventure kicked off with a unique pairing of Venezuelan milk chocolate and jackfruit chips. Creamy notes of milk and vanilla from the chocolate contrasted beautifully with the sweet-tangy chewiness of the dried fruit, creating a delicious play on both flavour and texture.
We definitely started the tasting on the right note, but it was the second pairing &mdash; the Pistachio Gianduitto and pandan chiffon cake &mdash; that stole the show. As a pistachio lover, this particular Gianduitto has always been one of my favourites, and the combination with the coconut-y flavour and light and fluffy texture was simply a chef&rsquo;s kiss. Add in a scoop of pistachio gelato? Absolute bliss. The coconut theme carried through to the final local-inspired tasting, where a luscious kaya spread was paired with Venchi&rsquo;s no-sugar-added milk chocolate. The result was an indulgent yet guilt-free combination that balanced roasted cocoa notes with the creamy sweetness of coconut jam.

We then moved into more classic, yet delightfully unexpected pairings. Italian sparkling wine &mdash; sprinkled with Chocoviar, no less &mdash; was served alongside Venchi&rsquo;s white chocolate with salted nuts. The crispness of the Franciacorta Ca&rsquo; del Bosco Prestige provided a refreshing juxtaposition to the creamy crunch of the chocolate, with just a hint of umami at the finish.
A known but rarely experienced pairing followed: dark chocolate and balsamic vinegar. Venchi&rsquo;s Raspberry &amp; Nibs Granblend with aged balsamic delivered a refined complexity &mdash; the sweet tang of the raspberry beautifully elevated by the depth of the vinegar. And finally, the grand finale: 77% dark chocolate with Sichuan peppercorn. Bold, punchy and unforgettable, the rich cocoa met its match in the peppercorn&rsquo;s tingling spice &mdash; a pairing that lingered long after the last bite.

All in all, the tasting wasn&rsquo;t just about indulgence &mdash; it was a celebration of creativity, culture and the universal joy of chocolate. Regardless of what you&rsquo;re pairing it with, Venchi reminded us that when it comes to chocolate, the possibilities are truly endless. To dive deeper into the delicious world, we ended the day with an insightful chat with G.B. Mantelli to learn more about what makes a perfect bite of chocolate:
Walk us through a day in your life as a master chocolatier.
My day-to-day starts with a long walk, and always with some chocolates. Then, I head into the lab with my amazing R&amp;D team. Throughout the day, we have many meetings where we exchange information. People often bring me new ingredients or products from different countries, and we look into how we can improve our recipes. Cocoa changes year by year, so we always need to check if a single origin still gives us the same emotion, or if we need to reblend the recipe. We also work on creating special recipes with a global mindset.
Is there a best time to taste chocolate?
Yes &mdash; when your palate is clean and the environment is just right. Temperature, sound, even smells change the experience, as you&rsquo;re not in the right state of mind, and the flavours can shift, usually toward bitterness. If you put on some music and have a glass of wine, you can harmonise everything, and it becomes incredible. It&rsquo;s like putting oxygen in red wine to bring out its primary notes. Music at 432 Hz, a temperature of 22&deg;C, not too wet, no strong smells &mdash; that&rsquo;s perfect.
Is there a changing trend in chocolate?
There&rsquo;s definitely a trend &mdash; and a very interesting one to catch. Today, people want a sexy yet balanced product. The younger generation cares about what goes into their food &mdash; from the cocoa harvest to the gelato-making process. They&rsquo;re mindful, health-conscious, and very engaged, which pushes us to innovate and improve every year. Among Gen-Zs, in particular, pistachio is the star, thanks to social media.
You&rsquo;ve tried many ingredients to come up with new flavours and new products. Was there a combination that, unfortunately, just did not work.
Yes, absolutely. We launch an average of 14 new flavours in gelato and chocolate every year, but we start with at least nine. Sometimes a chef brings flowers or leaves, but chocolate is strong. The only flowers that really work in this region are osmanthus and ylang ylang. I love them, but they&rsquo;re a little strange for Italy and the U.S. I tried lavender &mdash; it&rsquo;s perfect for Europe, but not a flavour that&rsquo;s well known in food here. I even put curry in gelato for Diwali. It was amazing, but only in shops near the Indian community &mdash; elsewhere, people were a bit taken aback. But you don&rsquo;t stop. I never stop. I try everything.

Unwrap the art of chocolate with Venchi's master chocolatier, G.B. Mantelli

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