Hand Crafted Chocolates in Trendy Melbourne
During the Spring Carnival, Gânache Chocolate’s kitchen is extremely busy making chocolate horse heads, chocolate stilettos and a variety of patisserie for clients and customers. Gânache Chocolate also made special chocolates for The Cox Plate in October. Owner and Master Chocolatier Arno Backes tell us about his decadent and delicious world
Q When did Gânache Chocolate open? What is the inspiration which drives the business?
A Arno Backes, owner and Master Chocolatier opened Gânache Chocolate with a splash in South Yarra in April 2008, after a long career in Europe and Australia and travels around the world. Arno has been passionate about chocolate all his life. Ganache chocolates has expanded into patisserie, desserts and gelato, delivered with impeccable service. 15 highly trained and devoted team members create everything from chocolate bars to chocolate bunnies, tea cakes to macaron towers and everything in between.
Q Where did the idea for a European style Chocolate Lounge come from?
A “We want our customers to feel like they are in Europe, when they taste our chocolates. The flavours evoke a strong sense of classic European chocolates even those with a particularly Australian flavour and our chocolate lounges have a European ambience to them that completes the picture.” Explains Arno.
By making the chocolates on site and from the best ingredients, Master Chocolatier Arno Backes feels Gânache Chocolate is a step above other chocolate brands in Melbourne. By overseeing every stage of production, Arno ensures that the quality of the largest range of handmade chocolates in Melbourne is consistent and never wavers.
Q Tell us a bit more about Arno's journeys?
A Growing up in Germany, near the border of France and Luxembourg, Arno was fascinated by the artisan approach to cooking and at the age of 15 enrolled in a pastry chef apprenticeship at the Brueckencafe in St. Wendel. After a lifetime of learning and travels around the world, with chocolate being the main focus in his career, Arno spent 18 months in South America, riding motorcycles and researching the origins of coffee and chocolate. On his return to Germany Arno successfully published a book about his travels. When Arno decided to pursue his goal of opening a specialty chocolate lounge and Gânache Chocolate came into existence.
Q What’s the most interesting thing Gânache Chocolate has created?
A We often get asked to make unique items in chocolate for our customers, our favourite has to be the customer who asked us to make him a ring out of chocolate. He then used it to ask his girlfriend if she would marry him. Of course she said yes!.