Here we are, the museum that was missing in Turin will open on June 26th, in fact it will inaugurate CHOCO Story, THE CHOCOLATE AND GIANDUJA MUSEUM.
For a beautiful project born from the collaboration between Francesco Ciocatto, owner of the historic Pfatisch Pasticceria in Turin, and Eddy Van Belle, Belgian entrepreneur creator of the Belcolade chocolate brand of the Puratos family company, Choco Story Turin was born.
The Choco Story museums, created by Eddy Van Belle, are already present in Belgium, France, the Czech Republic, Lebanon and Mexico. Choco Story Turin is the Chocolate and Gianduja Museum, and is about to open its doors in a non-random point of the city: Via Paolo Sacchi 38, in what were originally the large underground laboratories of Pfatisch.
After all, what better city than the capital of Savoy could host a museum that tells the story of chocolate and brings its history, origins, processing and related sensory experiences to life?
In 1678 Royal Madame Giovanna Battista of Savoy Nemours, mother of Vittorio Amedeo II, issued the first license to Giovanni Antonio Ari to market the chocolate drink. For over a century, chocolate was therefore only consumed in the form of a drink. Then, at the beginning of the 19th century, Paul Caffaril created the first solid chocolate mixture, which was followed by the creation of the Gianduja paste with the union of the Tonda Gentile delle Langhe hazelnut and in the middle of the century the consequent creation of the typical chocolate by the hand of Michele Prochet in company with Caffaril. And again the birth of significant places such as the historic cafés of Turin, where chocolate in the cup, or the Bicerìn so loved by Cavour: chocolate had now entered the hearts of the people of Turin.
This museum extends along a path designed to entertain visitors of all ages. The visit allows you to explore the origins of cocoa cultivation, the first recipes of the Maya and Aztecs, its importation into Europe and the birth of the great artisan tradition in Turin and in Piedmont. Over 700 objects in the collection testify to this extraordinary journey: molinillos, metates, tools for processing sugar, cups and chocolate pots, packaging from the great Piedmontese chocolatiers. The journey begins from the beginning, inside the room dedicated to the discovery and first developments of cocoa cultivation. The story of its mythical origins and the divinities that gave it to men takes place in the evocative setting of the reconstruction of a Mayan temple. To find out how Hernán Cortés was the first to bring the precious ingredient to Europe, you board a Spanish galleon, equipped with nautical charts to explore and a diligent lookout announcing the arrival in the New World. But how is cocoa grown? How do you go from plant to dark chocolate? You can discover it by sitting comfortably on a sofa made entirely of cocoa beans and observing an interactive globe that tells the evolution of the global market, which varieties of cocoa exist and which countries produce it. The story of the link between Turin and chocolate could not be missing: a room recalls the splendor of the palaces where the Savoys were the first to have the privilege of enjoying an exotic, mysterious and, to say the least, irresistible food, in the form of a drink. And how can we not give worthy space to the story of the invention of Gianduiotto? An entire room is dedicated to the first wrapped chocolate in the world, now recognized as a PGI product, enriched by a late 19th century machine for shelling the precious Piedmont hazelnuts and an original Gianduja costume, symbol of the Turin Carnival , and kindly provided by Famija Turineisa.
But it’s not enough to know the virtues of chocolate. You also need to enter the bowels of a factory, of its production process and imagine the work of many pastry chefs, men and women, who have dedicated their work to an ingredient of excellence. And this is why it is possible to admire the true added value of this museum: the machines in use as early as 1921 and still working perfectly today, which are kept inside a Historic Italian Place like Pfatisch. Here you truly enter a corner of the history of craftsmanship which, like many Turin treasures, remained hidden for a long time and is therefore even more exciting to discover. And it is as engaging to look at the past as it is to be able to observe how the master chocolatiers work today: through some windows it is in fact possible to see them at work and have the privilege of being able to taste their creations.
To make the experience even more memorable, the museum offers numerous interactive activities, installations and educational multimedia games that allow you to completely immerse yourself in the story and are suitable for involving audiences of all ages. Chocolate accompanies many moments in our lives: Choco Story aims to be a celebration of this through entertainment. For this reason, the museum itinerary was created with a concept of active visitor involvement, through innovative technologies and moments of sharing, providing an effective educational experience also for school children. A place of international conception and appeal, for Turin residents and tourists in love with chocolate in all its interpretations. Furthermore, along the museum itinerary there are also four videos with a historical setting directed by Alessandro Rota, made in close collaboration with Eddy Van Belle and Francesco Ciocatto. The filming was carried out with the synergy between the Officine Ianós Association and the historical re-enactment group “Le Vie del Tempo”, in important historical locations such as the Palazzina di Caccia di Stupinigi, the Academy of Fine Arts of Turin and the Casaforte of Chianocco. Through real cinematic reconstructions, the history of chocolate in Europe is retraced from the 16th century up to 1915, the year of the birth of the historic Pfatisch pastry shop and in which a historic vehicle from the Torinese Tram Storici association also made its appearance. Choco Story Turin is ready to welcome international visitors with an audio guide available in Italian, English, French, Spanish and German.
The inauguration is scheduled for Wednesday 26 June and it will be open to the public the following day.
The direction of the museum is entrusted to BEATRICE CAGLIERO, a young, sensitive and determined woman from Turin who boasts chocolatier ancestors.
Gabriella Daghero
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