A native of the south of France, chocolatier Frédéric Hawecker was awarded the prestigious Meilleur Ouvriers de France (MOF) title in 2011. The title denotes that the recipient is one of the best craftsmen in France in his field, Hawecker's being chocolate.
Hawecker previously taught at Ecole Nationale Superieure de Patisserie in Yssingeaux, France, and consults and conducts chocolate masterclasses around the world. In 2002, he opened his own chocolate shop and patisserie in Chateaurenard, a few miles from Avignon.
At a recent masterclass at the Okura Prestige Bangkok, Hawecker prepared a few of his signature desserts, influenced by his many visits to Japan. "At the beginning I chose pastry because my cousin was doing it. However, while travelling around France when I was in 23, 24 years old to learn pastry, I was an assistant to an MOF. There I learned that I have a lot of passion for chocolate.
"I love the Japanese culture and have been selling my chocolate in Japan for the last eight years. To cater to Japanese tastes, I add Japanese ingredients to the chocolate. However these chocolates are only sold online. In my shop in France, I stick to conventional chocolate, as French people prefer classics like caramel, coffee, cinnamon and praline."
Hawecker has worked with Chocolaterie de l'Opéra for 17 years, making chocolate for the brand. His favourite chocolate is Carupano from Venezuela, one of the brands that Chocolaterie de l'Opéra exports. "All my chocolates are coated with this one; it is not too strong and not too bitter. It has the perfect balance for coating chocolate," says Hawecker.
Hawecker's chocolates will be on sale at La Patisserie at the Okura Prestige Bangkok from April 1 until May 30.
