What Really Happens To Amaury Guichon's Chocolate Masterpieces
A man carefully chisels along the base of a statue, taking care not to leave a flaw in the smooth circular base. The last few hours were about making the model itself, layering and smoothing out every inch of the angled structure before attaching it to the base. When it's finished, it'll be in the shape of an enormous winged angel, adorned with a golden crown of flowers and blowing a trumpet. This isn't any ordinary statue made from marble, wood, or ice — instead, it will be made entirely of chocolate, from the flower crown to the body of the angel itself.
The name Amaury Guichon may not set off any bells when you hear it. But if you've ever seen those videos that showcase a chef constructing elaborate and decadent models from slabs of chocolate, you were likely watching Guichon at work. Born in Switzerland, Guichon began his culinary career at age 14 in France and went on to become a world-class pastry chef with an uncanny ability to create incredibly detailed models from nothing but solid blocks of chocolate. As Guichon's Instagram shows, he carves, whittles, and presses to create everything from cars to tigers to even replicas of other foods. Now, he's the host of the Netflix show "School of Chocolate" and head instructor of the Pastry Academy, so it's safe to say the chocolate master has a lot on his plate.
But what exactly happens to all those elaborate chocolate centerpieces when they're done?
The chocolate statues are reused
As beautiful as Guichon's chocolate statues are, one must wonder what exactly happens to them after they're put on display. After all, wouldn't it be a waste to throw away all that chocolate?
According to one Reddit user, Guichon's sculptures are usually on permanent display. If anything happens to them, such as the statue getting damaged via melting, then the chocolate is apparently melted down and reused for Guichon's pastry classes. In some cases, a marzipan finish may be sprayed onto the chocolate to ensure that the sculpture remains "optically fit," and special conditions such as air conditioning help keep the model intact (via Sculpture Network).
However, one Quora user, a baker with previous experience on cake baking shows, seems to be a bit more hesitant to accept that Guichon's models are reused. While she does acknowledge the chocolate statues could be melted down again, she says the use of "colored cocoa butter" may make it harder to reuse a large portion of the chocolate. She also claims that her experience on baking shows showed her that any sort of elaborate piece, be it cake or chocolate, can just as easily be tossed in the trash. Here's hoping Guichon's creations don't see such a fate.