Distant aromas emanate from this artisan workshop, not only because people in Japan love its chocolates, but also because a bit of Chinese sensibility permeates the genes of the house. And for good reason! Alexander’s father, Camille, a saucer master at a gourmet restaurant before retraining as a chocolatier, went on a tour of the Middle Kingdom. In Beijing, he misses a step and sprawls with his packages. A young helping hand rushes to bring him help… It is the beginning of a beautiful romance and a few years later Camille puts a ring on Mixia’s finger before a young Chinese woman comes to find him in Belgium and gives him two children. , Alexandre and Adrien. “It was my paternal grandmother who had the idea to start a chocolate factory based on family recipes, at a time when there were few machines and everything was still done by hand. My parents took over in 1986 and my father used his experience in gastronomy to expand the repertoire the house for pralines, mousses and ganache.’
Fourteen years later, the question arises as to which of the two sons, Adrien or Alexandre, will take over the family business. At first, he had no inclination to allow himself to be tempted by adventure. After earning a bachelor’s degree in Chinese literature and then a master’s degree in international and Chinese economics, he lived in Beijing for nine years and plans to stay there to complete his Ph.D. But on June 6, 2018, a disaster occurred in Angreau: a small village that is part of the Honnelles entity was submerged by water, a flood devastated a family home and a chocolate factory. So Alexandre returns to Belgium to help his brother and his parents. “Only two stainless steel tables remained from the workshop and all our chocolates were dumped on the road!”
After taking courses at the Callebaut Academy and completing a summer internship at Ducasse, this enthusiast gives the chocolate factory new letters of grandeur
After the buildings were renovated, Covid arrived, ending Alexander’s Chinese adventure but marking his entry into the chocolate factory. He has been almost the only master on board for three years, although his father and brother regularly come as reinforcements. After taking courses at the Callebaut Academy and then completing a summer internship at Ducasse, Alexandre Druart gave the chocolate factory new letters of nobility. He’ll start by releasing a limited-edition holiday box of foams flavored with eight different whiskeys, ranked from least to most peaty. It’s such a success that it’s already a home classic! Another box of sixteen chocolates, “Mille Parfums”, was released on a base of ganache filled with vanilla, salted butter, coconut curry and even the five famous flavors that are used in the composition of Peking duck. The idea is also to offer these chocolates mirrored so that two or more people can enjoy them. “to compare tastes, but also because, as my grandmother used to say, good things are made to be shared”.
This holiday season, Druart is introducing a brand new “Cocktails” box. It has nothing to do with Mon Chéri-style liqueurs, as these are flavored foams: Mojito, Gin Tonic, White Russian, Black Jack, Margarita, Piña Colada, and Amaro, a homemade mix of almonds and Kirsch. These festive chocolates also have the gift of arriving at fans’ homes with a simple click on this page: no more than 48 hours later, the morsels are ready to be enjoyed. After the impromptu visit, the good news also spread abroad, and especially to Japan: “One day we received a call from a Japanese woman from Himiji, a city in Hyogo prefecture, that she came to Belgium just to see us, visit our workshop and offer to sell our chocolates in her country!”
If this collaboration continues today, it is not the only contribution of Alexandre, who also specializes in the creation of masterpieces: it is he who created the jumping Spip to mark 50 years of the Dupuis edition, but also the impressive 12 kilo du Doudou kite, now displayed in the entrance hall a museum dedicated to him.