In 2020, due to the coronavirus, Melissa Coppel’s school, located in Las Vegas, opted for digital training by launching attractive courses that could be followed from any country and which tried to emulate the feeling of taking a face-to-face class as much as possible. This 2021, the center continues to promote live online sessions by renowned chefs.

Some classes will be taught by Coppel herself and will delve into pre-crystallization, chocolate snacks, and chocolate production. The teachers’ roster is completed by chefs such as Andrés Lara, who will reveal how to achieve the perfect American-style cookie and will propose combinations of flavors and textures to give a unique touch to marshmallows and pâte de fruits; Josep Maria Ribé, who will delve into the art of fruit preserves, jams, marmalades, and water / fat base spreads; Ramon Morató, who will give a master class on the infinite possibilities of chocolate; Frank Haasnoot, author of the book Prisma, who will share his latest collection of petit gateaux, cakes, and chocolate decorations; Enric Monzonis, who will show the latest trends in Contemporary Spanish Pastry; David Gil, who will reproduce plated desserts from Albert Adrià’s acclaimed Tickets restaurant; Daniel Álvarez, who will dive into the world of doughs, specifically viennoiserie and panettone; Daisuke Yamanouchi, with his avant-garde and atypical bean to bar process, and Wei Loon Tan, a member of the 2019 Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie winning team from Malaysia, who will explain the creative process to create an artistic sugar showpiece.

The only training that will be held in person at the school itself will be an eight-day chocolate boot camp, taught by Morató, Lara, Annie Kamin, Coppel, and Haasnoot. A very complete hands-on program that will be covering every topic in chocolate making, from the introduction about where cocoa comes from, to making bean to bar chocolates, ganache formulation, vegan fillings, molded and enrobed bonbons, panning, and chocolate showpieces.