Cacao° Lab: Estefanía Monge
Undoubtedly, the purpose of República del Cacao to generate community is reflected in its new Cacao Lab°, a space that welcomes you and takes you to dream and live an experience of wonderful creations, hand in hand with its variety of chocolates, technology in equipment and human warmth of its collaborators.
I had the pleasure of living this experience on two occasions, the first, as a student in Chef Jesús Escalera's Showcase Desserts workshop, and the second, as an assistant in Chef Gonzo Jiménez's Modern Pastry and Confections workshop.
The days started early, full of 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 Cacao Lab°, a professional space where you can find state-of-the-art Termalimex equipment, ideal for the creation and development of pastry and chocolate products. República del Cacao develops spaces and moments where community is truly generated in the gastronomic environment. My experience as a student in the workshop of Jesus, was fully enriching for several reasons; the human quality of the chef, his extensive knowledge of the subject, plus his ability to convey all the information in a simple and charismatic way. This went hand in hand with an excellent organization on the part of the República team, and its new laboratory fully equipped with everything necessary.
On the next occasion, I was able to work as an assistant in the workshop given by Chef Gonzo Jiménez, living the experience from another side. They opened the doors of the laboratory and gave me the confidence to do everything necessary, so that, along with the whole team, the workshop was a success. All the professionalism, knowledge, experience, charisma and good attitude of Chef Gonzo were reflected in the desserts he made. Beautiful creations that combined diverse techniques, Latin and American flavors, plus novel and unique presentations. Products that can be applied to our market.
In my opinion, República del Cacao goes beyond being just a company that produces and sells chocolate, generating community is real, as I have had the pleasure of being part of, on some occasions. Apart from making the best Ecuadorian and Latin American chocolate, it focuses on sustainability and social responsibility through gastronomy, changing the world, one cocoa bean at a time!
Estefania Monge
Pastry Chef and Chocolatier
Owner of Avó
