Nicolas Cloiseau - A Keen Sense of Aesthetics

A keen competitor, Nicolas takes part in a number of events in order to perfect his technique and see how he measures up against the competition. In 2001, he won second prize at the Trophée Pascal Caffet, then first prize for chocolate at the Concours Gastronomique d'Arpajon two years later. In 2005, he won first prize for his artistic piece at the World Chocolate Master. Lastly, in 2007, he was awarded the rare title of Meilleur Ouvrier de France Chocolatier, alongside Olivier Vidal, Pierre Mirgalet and Bruno Le Derf. Nicolas claims this recognition is a way of proving something to himself, rather than a goal in itself.

During the competition, Nicolas introduced the perforation technique for the first time, which would later become his signature artistic technique. He sculpts a life-size chocolate chair, piercing the back with small holes to let the light through: ’I wanted to give my sculpture a lacy effect, because I find that perforations bring transparency, lightness and movement to chocolate. Specifically, I use a Dremel model-making mini-drill. It is very light, which is much more practical when you have to drill all day long. It's a job that requires precision, attention to detail and patience. My sculptures are typically perforated with 1500 perforations. We recently broke our record, par designing an egg for an exhibition pierced all over with 13,000 perforations.’

In 2012, Nicolas Cloiseau was appointed head designer of la Maison du Chocolat when Robert Linxe retired to his native Bayonne. In his eyes, good chocolate should be balanced, without excess sugar or cream. Each ingredient must retain its identity, with a perfect balance between flavour and chocolate.

Known among his peers for his attention to detail and dedication to chocolate, Nicolas refines over 200 different chocolate recipes every year. ‘In the art of blending, the balance of taste is what matters. It’s this subtlety that is the hallmark of a homemade chocolate. The alchemy of cocoa types reveals exceptional ingredients. The sensations follow one another in nuance and length on the palate, without ever masking the chocolate.’

Always on the lookout for new trends, in 2015 Nicolas Cloiseau had the surprising idea of including savory products inside his ganaches (white onion, black olive, red bell pepper and porcini mushroom) for a result that’s rather impressive on the palate. Three years later, he began thinking about nature, resulting in a vegan collection called ‘Naturellement fruit’. He has removed cream, butter and all animal products from his new creations. It took him nine months of work and testing before he achieved a satisfactory result, which preserves all the chocolate's flavours.

Each year at Christmas time, Nicolas Cloiseau and his employees design a one-of- a-kind chocolate sculpture. He brings skilled talent and know-how to this made-to-measure piece. These one-off pieces are entrusted to a dedicated team of chocolate goldsmiths, who spend several days sculpting the finest details of chocolate. ‘For each collection, I start with a strong symbol of Easter or Christmas and reinterpret this in my own way. Once I've come up with an idea, one of my collaborators draws the first draft of the upcoming piece. With the four-person creative department, we then develop the actual piece, first in a cardboard mould, then in dark chocolate and lastly in its final version. After that, my assistant is in charge of production.’