In celebration of the country’s strong connection to chocolate, workforce training firm Syntra West will sponsor Chocolate University Belgium, a weeklong chocolate training program in Bruges.

Hosted in partnership with chocolatier Dominique Persoone, Belcolade, Selmi and Cacaolab, Chocolate University Belgium will share knowledge of the latest chocolate trends and techniques with chocolate industry professionals. A week of workshops, demos and experiences around the theme of “taste” begins May 28.

The program includes:

Monday, May 28

• Welcome and ganache workshop

• Rock ‘n Roll demo by Dominique Persoone

• Chocolate and beer workshop by Guido Vandenbussche

Tuesday, May 29

• Fermentation workshop by Julien Simonis

• Profit Sharing demo by Sylvestre Awono

• Bean to bar workshop by Team Belcolade

• About the jungle demo by Dominique Persoone and Eddy van Belle

Wednesday, May 30

• Fat bloom and sugar bloom / Shelf life and tempering workshop by Michel Eyckerman

• Chocolate art workshop by Stéphane Leroux

• Chocolate walk through Bruges

Thursday, May 31

• Healthy chocolate: sugar free & nutritional

• Crazy chocolate workshop by Dominique Persoone, Michel Eyckerman and David Redon

• Chocolate dinner by Patrick Devos

Friday, June 1

• Panning & enrobing demo by Michel Eyckerman and Jeffrey De Weyer

• Chocolate lunch with Dominique Persoone

• Graduation ceremony

Registration information can be found at chocolateuniversity.be or by emailing info@chocolateuniversity.be.