Cacao° Lab: Estefanía Monge
Without a doubt, República del Cacao's purpose of generating community is reflected in its new Cocoa LaboratoryA space that welcomes you and inspires you to dream and experience wonderful creations, with its variety of chocolates, technological equipment, and the human warmth of its collaborators.
I had the pleasure of living this experience on two occasions. The first time was as a student in Chef Jesús Escalera's Showcase Desserts workshop, and the second time was as an assistant in Chef Gonzo Jiménez's Modern Pastry and Confections workshop.
The days began early, filled with excitement and energy. As you enter the factory and approach the laboratory, you are greeted by the intoxicating aroma of roasting cocoa, and a few meters away, Chef Andrea López welcomes you to the Cocoa LaboratoryA professional space where we can find cutting-edge technology equipment Termalimex, ideal for creating and developing pastry and chocolate products. República del Cacao develops spaces and moments where a true community is generated within the gastronomic scene. My experience as a student in Jesús's workshop was immensely enriching for several reasons; the chef's great personality, his extensive knowledge of the subject, as well as his ability to convey all the information in a simple and charismatic way. This went hand in hand with excellent organization by the República team, and their new laboratory fully equipped with everything necessary.
On a subsequent occasion, I had the opportunity to work as an assistant in the workshop led by Chef Gonzo Jiménez, experiencing it from a different perspective. They opened the doors of the laboratory to me and gave me the confidence to do everything necessary so that, together with the entire team, the workshop would be a success. All of Chef Gonzo's professionalism, knowledge, experience, charisma, and good attitude were reflected in the desserts he created. Beautiful creations that combined various techniques, Latin and American flavors, along with novel and unique presentations. Products that could be applied to our market.
In my opinion, República del Cacao goes beyond being just a company that produces and sells chocolate. The community building is real, as I've had the pleasure of being a part of it on a few occasions. Besides making the best Ecuadorian and Latin American chocolate, it focuses its goals on sustainability and social responsibility through gastronomy., Changing the world, one cocoa bean at a time!
Estefanía Monge
Pastry Chef and Chocolatier
Grandmother's Owner
