Chocolate Trail @Harbour City 2016 

First-ever Chocolate Trail Café offers chocolate tasting menu “Artistic Creation‧Chocolate Sculpture” Exhibition showcases art pieces of Belgium & HK chocolate mastersFrom January 25 to February 21, 2016, Harbour City will host its annual mega event “Chocolate Trail” and bring nearly 30 internationally-renowned chocolate brands to all Chocolate fans (including 16 existing shops at Harbour City and 12 pop-up stores during the promotional period). BLACK As Chocolate from Taiwan, Domori from Italy, Homie Cookies from HK, Sift from HK, “Taste of Nic” from HK will be launched in Harbour City for the first time.

This year Harbour City will open the first-ever “Chocolate Trail Café” for customers to taste various premium chocolates and perfectly matching drinks. Chocolate expert Ms. Katie Chan and Wine Educator Mr. Louis Lee will introduce the “Chocolate Trail” Tasting Menu in the café. It includes various chocolates matching with wine, Chinese and Western tea, coffee, special drink and particularly pairing the Italy chocolate brand, Domori and France chocolate brand, zChocolate, with different taste of whisky.

Harbour City will also organize the “Artistic Creation‧Chocolate Sculpture” Exhibition, showcasing meticulously hand-crafted sculptures by two award-winning chocolate masters − Marijn Coertjens from Belgium and Roger Fok from Hong Kong. Both chocolatiers participated in the prestigious World Chocolate Masters competition, which took place at the Salon du Chocolat in Paris last year, and received exceptional results. Roger was the first contestant from Hong Kong who has ever made it to the top 10 finalists, while Marijn proved himself as one of the finest chocolatiers in the world with a remarkable third-place finish. Roger and Marijn will create a total of 5 chocolate sculptures for the Chocolate Trail @ Harbour City.

On the other hand, Harbour City will organize various chocolate workshops and live demonstrations from chocolate master chefs. A number of restaurants in Harbour City will also launch “Chocolate Trail” pairing menus. Moreover, Gallery by the Harbour will host the “Ferrero Gallery” art exhibition. Further details of the activities will be provided later.

1. Chocolate Trail Café @ Harbour City
The decoration concept of Chocolate Trail this year is “European Train Station”. Atrium II of Gateway Arcade of Harbour City will transform into a train station lobby with the first-ever Chocolate Trail Café. The café offers passengers a series of unique chocolate tasting menus with a wide selection of quality chocolates from all over the world and corresponding perfectly matching drinks.

To bring a fantastic chocolate tasting experience to passengers, Harbour City has recruited a number of chocolate fans to become chocolate ambassadors of the café, who will introduce the details of tasting menus to the passengers. Passengers can choose their favourite menu at the café with designated donations to “Hong Kong Blood Cancer Foundation”.

The main highlight of the café is the giant English High-tea set placed at the centre of the café. Passengers can sit on the chocolate-shaped chairs and enjoy their tasting menu. Many “European Train Station” thematic photo taking spots will be also set up along the Gateway Arcade Corridor.

2. “Artistic Creation‧Chocolate Sculpture”Exhibition

Aside from satisfying their sweet tooth, chocolate fans will also be able to feast their eyes on chocolate sculptures created by world-class chocolate masters. Harbour City is organizing “Artistic Creation‧ Chocolate Sculpture” Exhibition at Gateway Arcade Corridor from 21 Jan to 21 Feb, 2016. The exhibition will showcase meticulously hand-crafted sculptures by two award-winning chocolate masters − Marijn Coertjens from Belgium and Roger Fok from Hong Kong. Both chocolatiers’ exceptional talents were recognised at the prestigious World Chocolate Masters competition, which took place at the Salon du Chocolat in Paris last year.

For chocolatiers, there is no stage more sought-after or prestigious than the final of the World Chocolate Masters competition. The 2015 contest was held at the Salon du Chocolat in Paris and 20 top chocolatiers from around the world were selected at the final stage, who were already the winners of the national Chocolate Masters heats held earlier.

Mr Roger Fok, the pastry chef of JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong, is the first representative of Hong Kong who was in the top 10 finalists of the 2015 World Chocolate Masters competition. He will create 3 art pieces for this exhibition, including his winning art piece in the competition “Avian Inspiration”, other 2 art pieces are based on the concepts of “Journey to the Cocoa Land” and “Purple Fantasy”.

“Avian Inspiration” represents the unwavering belief of the Wright brothers that we too can fly that have given us the freedom to travel with wings, the opportunity to connect cultures with grace, and most importantly, the confidence to dare to dream for a better future!

Hailing from Belgium, the spiritual home of chocolate, The Peninsula Hong Kong’s Maître Chocolatier Marijn Coertjens, who was named in the top three at the 2015 World Chocolate Masters competition and the 2011 World Pastry Cup, will be hand-crafting 2 art pieces for this exhibition.

“Welcome to the Jungle” is inspired by the rainforests, some of the most beautiful places on earth. Due to deforestation and other results of modern human encroachment, the balance of the ecosystem is continually under threat. On top of being pleasing to the eye and the taste buds, Marijn hopes this art piece can help draw some attention to the urgent need to conserve the natural wonders of our planet for future generations.

“Blue Jeans” took inspiration from the denim garment that’s present in almost every wardrobe, which has evolved in style but never gone out of fashion. This art piece will illustrate a contrasting pairing where the durable blue jeans is juxtaposed with delicate lace – brought to life with finely honed technical skills and boundless imagination.

3. Harbour City x The Artist “Personalized Chocolate Experience Zone”

Harbour City has a special collaboration with The Artist to launch “Personalized Chocolate Experience Zone”. Customers can personalize the chocolates and boxes with their own photos, creating a unique gift or personal treat! During the weekends of the promotional period, upon a donation of HK$120 to “Hong Kong Blood Cancer Foundation”, customers can get a limited edition 2-piece chocolate charity box set that you can print your photo on the chocolate. On other hand, The Artist will donate HK$30 to “Hong Kong Blood Cancer Foundation” for each box of chocolate sold.

The Artist was set up by cousins from Belgium – MR GENEROUS & MR TEMPTATION. The Artist Chocolate Collection is crafted by one of the most talented and sought-after celebrity chocolatiers in Belgium, Lionel Focant. Lionel was an official Belgian chocolatier during the 2010 Shanghai and 2015 Milan World Expo, and has won the famous award of the Queen of Belgium in 2013. “Every chocolate in The Artist collection is handcrafted in Belgium using cocoa from Ghana, Congo or Java,” said Lionel Focant.

4. Ferrero Gallery - Art Exhibition

In correlation with the Chocolate Trail at Harbour City, Italian chocolate brand “Ferrero Rocher” will be brought to life in the “Ferrero Gallery” Art Exhibition at Gallery by the Harbour. Combining expression of talent and passion, “Ferrero Gallery” tells the story of Italian creation and craftsmanship through artistry, and will be presented through a live chef demonstration and unprecedented cross-category collaboration with Asia's most creative and celebrated makeup artist, Zing. Blending the distinctive image of Ferrero Rocher with his signature touch, Zing evokes images of tradition, modernity, and creativity yielded in the form of 3 eye-catchingly artistic images that will be displayed in the “Ferrero Gallery.” One of these sensational images features a glitter-dusted Amanda S., posing with gilded necklace and dramatic eye-makeup that captures a sense of fierceness and sophistication.

5. Chocolate Workshops & Live Demonstrations from Chocolate Master Chefs

During weekends in the promotion period, Harbour City will host a schedule of chocolate workshops and invite various chocolate master chefs to hold live demonstrations to share sweet moments with the shoppers.

6. “Chocolate Trail” Pairing Menu

A number of restaurants in Harbour City will launch “Chocolate Trail” Pairing Menus during the promotion period for customers to enjoy various selected chocolate-themed dishes.

7. Close to 30 international renowned chocolate brands at Harbour City

There will be close to 30 international renowned chocolate brands in Harbour City during the Chocolate Trail period. Besides the 16 existing shops, there are 12 pop-up stores, in which BLACK As Chocolate from Taiwan, Domori from Italy, Homie Cookies from HK, Sift from HK, “Taste of Nic” from HK will launch for the first time in Harbour City.