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Pierre Marcolini

Pierre Marcolini (French: [pjɛʁ maʁ.kɔ.li.ni]; born 12 July 1964) is a Belgian chocolatier born in Charleroi, Belgium, in 1964.

Pierre Marcolini
Pierre Marcolini in 2019
Born (1964-07-17) July 17, 1964 (age 60)
Charleroi
NationalityBelgian
OccupationChocolatier
Websitewww.marcolini.be

Biography

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Youth

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Pierre Marcolini was born in Charleroi, Belgium, on 12 July 1964. His maternal grandparents hail from Verona, Italy.[1]

He studied at the Centre d'enseignement et de recherches des industries alimentaires et chimiques [fr] (CERIA) and the Infobo of Uccle.

Professional life

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Having qualified as a chef-pâtissier, he was employed variously in Belgium and France, including employment at such prestigious institutions as Wittamer and Auguste Fauchon.[2][3]

In 1995, he won the "World Champion Pastry Chef" in Lyon and opened his first shop.[4]

Visiting the chocolaterie of Maurice Bernachon, he was inspired by the artisanal methods of the Lyonese, henceforth considering him one of his mentors, along with the pâtissier Gaston Lenôtre.[5][6]

In 2007, Nestlé acquired a 6% stake in the business.[7] Marcolini then creates a chocolate flavour for Nestle subsidiary Nespresso, whereupon Nestle increased its share to 29%.[8] The partnership ended in December 2011 as Marcolini and other shareholders bought out Nestlé's share.[9] The following year, Marcolini raised additional capital from investment group NEO Capital.[10]

As of 2012, the corporation had 350 employees[1] and as of 2015 holds 30 shops, most notably in London, Tokyo, Paris and Brussels.[11] In 2012, it generates 32 million Euros in revenue.[citation needed]

The corporation has a manufacturing facility in Sablon, one of the most upmarket parts of Brussels.[12][13] Marcolini controls his production "from bean to bar".[14][15] He artesanally produces his own couverture chocolate, and selects his suppliers from among plantations in Brazil, Equatorial Guinea and Mexico.[7][16] In 2012, the company produced 150 tons of chocolate.[citation needed]

Marcolini has collaborated with other creatives such as the stylist Olympia Le-Tan and fashion label Kitsuné.[17]

Television

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As of July 2013, he is a member of the jury of culinary reality TV show Qui sera le prochain grand pâtissier? [fr] (Who will be the next great pastrymaker?), broadcast by France 2.[5]

Books

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  • Éclats, Les Chocolats de L'iris, 2007
  • Dix petits doigts pleins de chocolat, Racine, 2010
  • Chocolat Café, Éditions Laymon, 2011
  • Chocolat Plaisir, Éditions Solar, 2014
  • Cacao, de la Fève à la Tablette, Éditions de la Martinière, 2015
  • Best Of Pierre Marcolini, Alain Ducasse Éditions, 2015
  • Cacao : del haba a la tableta, Librooks, 2016
  • Chocolat: From the Cocoa Bean to the Chocolate Bar, Rizzoli International Publications, 2017
  • Chocolat - Carnets de Voyages : Un tour du monde en 70 recettes, Éditions de la Martinière, 2017

Awards

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Marcolini received the first national prize of artistic merit in 1988. In 1991, he was named "premier pâtissier glacier de Belgique" (best Belgian cake-and-icecream maker).[3][18] In addition to the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie in 1995, Marcolini won the coupe européenne de pâtisserie in 2000.[19] The tourist office of Brussels has named him "Ambassadeur du Tourisme" (tourism ambassador).[2] In January 2015, Marcolini received the honorary title of "Officier de l'Ordre du Mérite Agricole" (officer of the order of agricultural merit).

See also

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Notes and references

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  1. ^ a b Willy Le Devin (24 March 2012). "Pierre Marcolini, le chocolatier haute couture". Libération.
  2. ^ a b Brigitte Fernandez (2009). Le Petit Futé: Guide du chocolat (in French). Petit Futé. p. 62. ISBN 9782746923003.
  3. ^ a b Marie-Annick Gouguenheim (10 December 2004). "Pierre Marcolini et ses chocolats " haute couture "". Les Échos.
  4. ^ Fruit, Clémence (2014) "Pierre Marcolini, Ambassadeur de la Haute Chocolaterie", Pâtisserie & Compagni Novembre - Décembre 2014 (in French).
  5. ^ a b René Sépul (17 June 2014). "Pierre Marcolini : "Je voulais des chocolats différents"". Le Soir.
  6. ^ Georgia Dehn (11 December 2014). "Pierre Marcolini unveils his Christmas chocolate collection". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 December 2014.
  7. ^ a b "Pierre Marcolini : Chocolatier " Haute Couture "". La Tribune. 17 August 2010.
  8. ^ Sandrine Vandendooren (12 January 2012). "Les chocolats Marcolini à nouveau 100 % belges". Le Vif.
  9. ^ F.C. (12 January 2012). "Marcolini étiqueté "100 % belge"". La Libre Belgique.
  10. ^ Patrick Van Campenhout (25 July 2013). "15 millions d'euros pour Marcolini". La Libre Belgique.
  11. ^ Melisha Kaur (24 March 2015). "Belgian chocolatier Pierre Marcolini to open flagship store in London". Evening Standard.
  12. ^ "Jean-Philippe Darcis : " il faut privilégier la qualité et rester courageux "" (in French). Le Suricate Magazine. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  13. ^ lesoir.be. "Les gravures de Paul Delvaux chez MC2". lesoir.be. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  14. ^ Marie-Annick Gouguenheim (29 March 2013). "De la fève à la tablette". Les Échos.
  15. ^ "Pierre Marcolini et la fève baracoa de Cuba". L'Express. 24 March 2010.
  16. ^ Hadrien Gonzales (29 March 2013). "Chocolat, retour à l'authentique". Le Figaro. Archived from the original on 5 June 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  17. ^ Laura Bonnet (24 March 2015). "Les chocolats de Pierre Marcolini x Maison Kitsuné". Vogue Paris.
  18. ^ "Pierre Marcolini ou l'art de devenir chocolatomane". Le Soir. 24 May 1997.
  19. ^ Jacques Mercier (2006). Belges en France (in French). Lannoo. p. 82. ISBN 9782873864781.
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