Landrieu to head up Barry Callebaut's Academy in Chicago

Barry Callebaut, the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality cocoa and chocolate products will open a new Chocolate Academy in Chicago this month, the first in the United States, featuring Chef Jerome Landrieu as the technical advisor. Landrieu will share his experience in the art of chocolate and teach diverse chocolate applications and processing techniques to artisans and culinary professionals, including pastry chefs, confectioners, bakers and caterers.

“Chef Landrieu is one of the most well-respected culinary professionals in France, and will bring a fresh perspective on pastry arts to our North American technical advisor team,” said Massimo Garavaglia, president of Barry Callebaut North America’s Food Manufacturer and Gourmet business units. “As an ambassador of our Callebaut, Cacao Barry and Carma gourmet chocolate brands, he will play an essential role in educating gourmet artisans from throughout the United States about the fine art of creating culinary masterpieces with chocolate.”

Prior to joining Barry Callebaut, Landrieu worked at several leading pastry shops and restaurants in France and studied under three chefs who earned the prestigious Meilleur Ouvrier de France (M.O.F.) title – the highest honor in France for gourmet artisans.

His passion for the craft eventually led him to a teaching position at the Superior National School of Confectionery and Pastry in Yssingeaux, France.  And just prior to moving to Chicago, Landrieu completed his fourth year at the Bellouet Conseils School – a prestigious Parisian school for the art of desserts.

Landrieu has won numerous awards for his culinary skills, including two first place awards in sugar artistry and a second place award for artistry at the Chocolat by Pascal Caffet competition in 2006. He also won first place for tasting selection at the Salon du Chocolat in Paris, and finished in the pastry semifinals at the 2007 Meilleur Ouvrier de France competition. The state-of-the-art, 8,500-sq.-ft. training center in Chicago will be the 12th Barry Callebaut Chocolate Academy location when it opens in September 2008. Barry Callebaut also operates Chocolate Academies in Belgium, Canada, China, France, India, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia Singapore, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Bernard Dumoulin retires,son Bertrand takes over

Dumoulin, a leader in coating technologies for the confectionery and pharmaceutical industries based in Tournan-En-Brie, France just outside of Paris, announced that Bernard Dumoulin, the son of founder Fernand Dumoulin, has retired. His son, Bertrand Dumoulin, will take over as president. Together, he and general manager Francois Adele, the company’s sole shareholders, will continue to build upon the success that Bernard brought to the company. Bernard developed  the concept of automatic coating in the late 1960s, which resulted in the debut of the first automatic installation for large production during interpack in 1969.  

Tom Sutherland to drive new business for Comax Flavors

Comax Flavors, a world leader in proprietary technology of flavors and aroma components based in Melville, N.Y., hired Tom Sutherland, a 15-year veteran in the flavor industry, as its new vice president of business development.

Sutherland’s experience at Haarmann & Reimer included five years in territorial sales, selling flavors to all segments, and four years of direct flavor sales and marketing responsibilities for the company’s alcoholic beverage segments.

Echeandia joins Frey Enterprises

Lisbeth Echeandia, formerly publisher of Candy Industry and Confection and Snack Retailing, has joined Frey Enterprises, a strategic advisory and consulting management team comprised of consumer packaged goods (CPG) senior executives based in Frisco, Texas. The team has an average of more than 30 years hands-on experience in all facets of the CPG business with companies of all sizes.

The company just recently formed a strategic alliance with Franzetta & Associates, experts in  supply chain logistics.  Franzetta & Associates are leaders in their field, providing assistance to companies of every size in assessing supply chain management, recommending technologies and conducting talent searches.