Netflix’s upcoming show School Of Chocolate is an educational competition show where top pastry and chocolate professionals learn from world-renowned chocolatier, Amaury Guichon, to transform their baking skills into top tier “chocolatiering.” Here are our thoughts!
This 8 episode long series ranges from 28-48 minute episodes making for the perfect amount of time to get attached to all of the cast members and watch them grow their skills. Every episode is slightly different in the projects that the students must complete, but all of the contestants use their flavor and construction abilities to produce chocolate showpieces.
An average day involves a pastry-making portion, followed by a chocolate construction event. After the individual pastry challenges, the lowest performers in class must sit out for the chocolate event but have extra time to learn from Amaury Guichon, world-class chocolatier, and their teacher. At the chocolate event, the top two students from the pastry challenge pick their teams based on the eligible candidates, and at that point compete together in the chocolate showstopper. The most impressive of the pieces from the judges contribute to Guichon’s picks for the top of the class for that episode.
What makes this series so much different from the rest of its type, is that there are no true eliminations. Since all of the participants are learning from Guichon’s chocolate techniques, it only makes sense to allow everyone the same learning opportunities and chances to prove themselves. However, similarly to other baking shows like The Great British Baking Show, there is a very light atmosphere rather than the aggression and drama that happens on a show like Hell’s Kitchen or Masterchef. The contestants are all very genuine and willing to lift each other up as well as themselves because everyone comes with the goal of learning.
The winner of the show receives a prize with a total value of $100,000. They are calculated at the end of the show from a showcase between the two “Best in Class” students who must create a masterful chocolate sculpture with enormous size specifications. To add to the fun of this class-like experience, even those that did not get a chance to face off in the finale and win the prize, still get to be part of one of the potential winners’ teams to assist them in their efforts.
If you don’t know, the host, Guichon is a French chef-turned teacher, entrepreneur, and internet personality that is widely appreciated for his artistic chocolate abilities and pastry creations. He has millions of followers across all of his social media platforms and has specialized in all things dessert, even writing a book called ‘The Art of Flavor’. He currently serves as a teacher at his own institution, The Pastry Academy of Las Vegas.
Guichon is not alone in his judging or teaching practices as he has a small group of other professionals to help assist the students and review their works as they come in. All of the judges and teachers are willing to help the participants even in challenges and try to offer them solutions to improve on their talents in real-time.
School of Chocolate offers a refreshing take on competition cooking shows and gives the audience a chance to join in on the lessons that Guichon provides to the students.
If you’re interested in learning and watching the skills that come with being a chocolate genius like Guichon and want to see who wins the grand prize, make sure to tune in on November 26th for its premiere on Netflix!
In the meantime, you can enjoy their short trailer. Happy chocolatiering!
