More about Awards for Christian Constant...

Eurochocolate Award, 2000 at Perugia, Italy
These are the awards that Eurochocolate and the Compagnia del Cioccolato give every year to companies and persons who have distinguished themselves in the world of chocolate. There are five award categories: industrial producers, Italian small-scale producers, foreign small-scale producers, publishing, and special events at Eurochocolate.

Officier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 1998
(Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters)
This is an official decoration awarded by the French Ministry of Culture and Communication, to recognize persons who have distinguished themselves in an artistic or literary field, or by their contribution to the propagation of arts and letters in France and the rest of the world. There are three grades: Chevalier, Officier and Commandeur. Constant got this award for his writings on chocolate and other subjects

Constant is presently writing a book on the ravages of cocoa farming and commerce (the destruction of traditional American Indian cultures, etc). Apart from being charming and talented, he is truly an erudite man !
Member of the French Academy of Chocolate and Confectionery
Not to be confused with THE French Academy. This one represents the French chocolate confectioners. Its 50 members are chocolate professionals whose goal is to promote quality products, to teach and inform the professionals and the public, and to lay the foundation of the largest possible knowledge base about cocoa products. It is an independent organization financed exclusively by its members. Its views, based on research and consultations, are supposed to be unbiased. Judging from the fact that only top chocolatiers such as Constant and Hévin are members, it would seem that membership is pretty prestigious.

Diploma of the Club des Croqueurs de Chocolat
This is an honor awarded by the Club, prestigious in the chocolate circle. The following is a summary of their introduction on the website, http://www.croqueurschocolat.com/index.html. The Club unites its members for the tasting of quality chocolates and all chocolate-based products (candies, pastries, ice creams, chocolate drinks, etc).

The Club also publicizes what its members consider to be the best products, in diffusing a bulletin after the tasting sessions (found also on its web site). Its judgement and choices are independent of the chocolate commerce.

The club is limited to 150 members. All candidates must be recommended by two members and demonstrate the following aptitudes :

  • be a regular eater of chocolate and chocolate products
  • be able to distinguish differences in quality.
  • know the diverse uses of chocolate
  • refine one’s sense of taste, and from a mere avid eater, become a gourmet
  • gradually become a know-it-all on the origins of chocolate, the different processes and techniques of production.
  • share one’s discoveries with one’s gourmet friends, exchange information on the sources of good products, good recipes, etc.
The waiting list is long…

Who are the members ? Chocolate lovers may be found in all milieus, and this diversity is reflected in the club make-up. There are doctors, lawyers, college professors, secretaries, nurses, people from the advertising circle, physical therapists, sport teachers, social workers, journalists, retirees, a female farmer, and the best chocolate artisans. Sonia Rykiel and Lionel Poilâne are two of the Club administrators.