Pastry Chile 2026: A Meeting of Excellence in Pastry

Pastry Chile 2026 arrived alongside great leaders in international pastry and gastronomy. It was a significant event that brought together professionals and enthusiasts from the sector.

For two days, participants learned, were inspired, and discovered new techniques alongside leading industry experts:

MARIO BACHERINI — 100% Cakes
ANDREA LÓPEZ – World Cocoa Republic
GUILLERMO CORRAL — Textures Sosa in gastronomy
The event was organized by Pastry Chile and Gourmet Select along with brands and allies that drive creativity and excellence within professional pastry making: República del Cacao, Sosa Ingredientes, Valhrona, Norohy, Chocolatree.

With the collaboration of Le Cordon Bleu Chile and Ufinisterrae.

More information at:

www.gourmetselect.cl

With this spirit, we open a space for dialogue and collective reflection through a participatory dynamic in which we share ideas on how to continue strengthening key pillars for the future of fine aroma cocoa. Each person contributed from their experience and reality to improve cocoa quality, include agroecological processes, add productive alternatives that allow for income diversification, the importance of generating value from the origin, and how associativity can be a powerful tool to face market challenges.

As part of this tribute, we are handing over the plants from our rehabilitated nursery, with 9,000 grafted fine aroma cocoa plants, ready to be planted on the farms. This gesture symbolizes for us a commitment to the long term, to crop renewal, and to the continuous improvement of productivity and quality from the origin. Additionally, we gave special recognition to the farmers with whom we have worked the longest, presenting them with soil studies for their farms, a key tool that will enable better decision-making. Finally, we shared the already classic Chocolatada, made with our Vinces origin chocolate.

At República del Cacao, we continue working to together change the world, one cocoa bean at a time.

A meeting and learning space

Chokao's programming integrated all industry stakeholders with activities designed to inspire and strengthen the cocoa value chain. The event included a trade fair, a gastronomic congress with seminars and masterclasses dedicated to culinary education, as well as workshops and discussions that promoted the national meeting of producers.

One of the most outstanding moments was the national elimination round of the Paco Torreblanca competition, organized by the Escuela de los Chefs in Guayaquil. In this setting, República del Cacao participated as the official brand, reaffirming its commitment to excellence and the development of Ecuadorian chocolate talent.

Projecting the future of Ecuadorian cocoa

Chokao 2025 consolidated itself as a space for learning, inspiration, and collaboration. Each activity demonstrated that Ecuadorian cocoa and chocolate have a future full of talent, innovation, and flavor.

At República del Cacao, we are proud to have supported this edition, celebrating with a community that works every day to elevate Ecuadorian cacao. With enthusiasm, we look forward to the next edition of Chokao, convinced that we will continue to drive excellence in the world of Ecuadorian chocolate.

Together with Fudela, Chef Ana Lobato – owner of Clara Restaurante, awarded the prestigious “One to Watch” in the 50 Best 2024 — and with the support of the San Francisco University of Quito (USFQ), we carried out a new edition of our initiative Good Food: flavors that unite.

Chef Ana shared her story, passion, and vision of gastronomy as a powerful tool for transformation with a group of men and women; Ecuadorians and migrants, in situations of priority care. In this workshop, chocolate became the ingredient that united, inspired, and empowered the participants, as they received high-level recipes and techniques that strengthened their skills and provided them with tools to innovate, grow, and professionalize their culinary projects.

On this occasion, we have the support of an expert Ph.D. in cacao, Dr. Hugo Zumárraga, who guided the group in theoretical and practical sessions on good agricultural practices, EUDR European regulation requirements, occupational health and safety, finance for small producers, among others. Each module was designed to provide concrete tools to boost productivity, traceability, and the well-being of producer families.

Beyond technical training, our Field Schools are a gathering that promotes collaboration, the exchange of experiences, and reaffirms the joint commitment between our producer allies and our purpose.

At República del Cacao, we will continue strengthening these learning spaces, convinced that cocoa unites us and knowledge drives us.

Let's continue changing the world together, one cocoa bean at a time!

During the event, our corporate chef Andrea López held a masterclass focused on more conscious pastry making, where we presented recipes developed and focused on maintaining textures and flavors with lower fat and sugar content, without neglecting the pleasure that a good dessert represents. This session was an opportunity to show how, through technique and creativity, it is possible to evolve towards a more balanced sweet cuisine.

The vision of respect for ingredients was also part of the Masterclass by our allied chef Pachi Larrea, who shared his signature approach and techniques that prioritize the original flavor of ingredients like fruits, nuts, and chocolate, eliminating artificial colorings and flavorings. His proposal, which is replicable and focused on efficient production, inspired students in a hands-on workshop where they had the opportunity to apply what they learned directly.

Another highlight was the research and development panel, featuring our Quality and R&D Manager, Carla Estévez. We shared the process behind our 33% white chocolate with toasted corn, a product that reflects our identity, traceability, and commitment to culture-based innovation. Carla also reflected on the role of artificial intelligence in product development, acknowledging its usefulness as a tool but reaffirming that sensory evaluation remains a deeply human process.