Chocolate Art Master: Chef Nicolas Nikolakopoulos
Chef Nicolas (Instagram A/c: nicolas_nikolakopoulos) passion for pastry and chocolate was from childhood. He didn’t have anyone in his family working in this similar role, being the only child in the family he loved to sneak into the kitchen and make whatever recipes he could find the ingredients from since the age of 8. Another passion of his was to study chemistry, he obtained his degree as a chemist from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He worked as a chemist but he never stops thinking about his other passion i.e., cooking. So, he studied Pastry at Le Monde Culinary and Tourism College in Athens and left for Paris for further training and experience at Ecole Lenôtre in Paris. He worked in many hospitality outlets, hotels, and restaurants, and now he owns a consulting business NZ Dessert Designers along with his partner Chef Zissis Goudas. His business is responsible for designing dessert menus, recipes, and specialty products R&D for international customers like boutiques, hotels, pastry shop chains, and food industries, as also organizing pastry seminars and training. For the last 9 years, he also worked as a Pastry, Chocolate, and Food science professor in the very school where he started Le Monde College. In March 2022, he won the title of “SE Europe Chocolate Master”, in the regional World Chocolate Masters Competition. In October he won third place at the finals of the World Chocolate Masters in Paris.
Q.) Please share your experience of the world chocolate master competition.
Chef Nicolas: The WCM competition is a life-changing experience. Coming from Greece, where the competition is mainly known to people in the industry, it was quite hard to prepare for. It was the first time a Greek candidate was a part of WCM. My resources were limited, and consequently, I had to do many things by myself that I didn’t imagine before, things that had little to do with actual chocolate, such as 3D, graphics and packaging design, packing, constructions, speech writing, website design, brand marketing, and so many other things. It was certainly very demanding, but I did learn a lot in the process. The competition part did come with its unpredicted challenges and last-moment issues, but as the clock started, I was getting in the zone and nothing else mattered but following through with each assignment. In the end, apart from the wonderful result of being of the top 3 Chocolatiers in the world.
In retrospect, everything was worth it. I realized who my true supporters were, people who sacrificed a part of their own life to be close and assist me every step of the way, my team was small and mainly inexperienced in chocolate, but they were very passionate and dedicated. The first was my assistant and sous Chef Yiannis Asproulis, and also chef Dimitra Chatzimichail. Many of my pastry students helped with the preparations too, and selected Greek companies also assisted me by sponsoring their products.
Q.) Why did you choose chocolate as an ingredient to make your career as a dessert chef?
Chef Nicolas: I don’t remember ever making that choice consciously, I think chocolate chose me!
It has always been like a muse for me, and a product that I admire in every way. It is proof of a perfect synergy between nature, tradition, art, and human knowledge, and it is also a superfood. It’s my number one choice when I want to express my artistic side.
It’s no less than mystifying to me. Coming from cacao, also known as the “Food of the Gods” it is a product with thousands of years of history that, ever since it left Meso-America, it took over the world. It took deep roots in our culture, our food habits, our psychology, and now in our nutrition. It is a delight that can make you dream when you bite into it. The world stops for a few seconds and you are just indulging, enjoying.
Q.) How is your chocolate dessert different from others?
Chef Nicolas: Being a chemist, I always take a more holistic approach when it comes to my desserts. My goal is to create desserts that are functional, nutritious, and tasty at the same time. I try to use innovative techniques, and a very big part of my creation process is STORYTELLING. I always try to have a story, an image, or an inspiration behind every creation. Desserts are my way to pass a story to the consumer. That is what makes my desserts different from my point of view.
Q.) From where do you find your inspiration for your chocolate dessert?
Chef Nicolas: From everywhere really. I am quite visual, so things that I see in everyday life can be a part of my creative process. But a big part of this process is stories and emotions. When I design a dessert, I don’t just want to create a tasty delight, I design an experience. A dessert that when consumed, will invoke feelings from the moment you see it till the moment you take your last bite. So, my inspiration might come from a trip to the countryside, a view of the sea, a fairy-tale story that I hear, a childhood memory, or even a conversation with a friend.
Q.) Is it easy to make dessert with chocolate?
Chef Nicolas: As with watercolour painting, there are easy things to paint, and there are wall-sized masterpieces. No matter what you make though, you still get to enjoy the process. With chocolate there are ten-minute recipes you can make, that will make someone very happy. Some things need long days of preparation and require knowledge and experience. So, there is something for everyone to enjoy making, no matter their level. For sure you have to respect the material, and then just have fun with it.
Q.) How is the idea come to make a masterpiece from chocolate?
Chef Nicolas: As I said before, storytelling plays a very big role in my creation process. For the WCM competition, for example, the story that I wanted to present is “Chocolate makes us dream”. It connects us with our childhood optimism, and through chocolate, we can dream up a better future. It connects both sides of our brain, the logical part with knowledge and technique, and the creative part of the brain with artistic expression and dreams. That’s for example what inspired me to create the #DESIGN assignment for the competition. called Chocolate Voyage.
Q.) Any advice for the upcoming chefs?
Chef Nicolas: My advice for the upcoming chefs is, to dream and not to give up on that dream. To set high goals and stay on the path to achieve them. While trying to get there, you arm yourself with experience, valuable partnerships, and technical skills. It is rarely an easy thing to do, but with perseverance, passion, and love for what you do, there will be a success.
“Chocolate has always been my passion and muse and being recognized as a Master Chocolatier on an international level is definitely worth the dedication”
– NICOLAS NIKOLAKOPOULOS
By: Rida Khan (Aviation Author)
Instagram A/c: aviationauthor.ridakhan
