Held on April 22 under the patronage of Sheikha Alyazia Bint Nahyan Al Nahyan, the evening welcomed over 250 chefs, artists and industry leaders from across the Middle East, Africa and Europe to engage with chocolate as both a product and a cultural catalyst.
“At Valrhona, we bring our global chef community to life through immersive experiences. Every event we host is more than a gathering; it’s a celebration of creativity, culture, and culinary excellence. Despite rising cocoa prices and climate pressures, we stay committed to sustainable sourcing, agroecology, and long-term partnerships in places like Madagascar and Brazil to name a few. At Valrhona, quality, craftsmanship, and community are non-negotiable. Chocolate is not just a product—it’s a universal language that brings people together. This red thread speaks to Valrhona’s core values: sustainability, ingredient traceability, culinary artistry, and global collaboration. It became a living expression of creativity and shared knowledge. Gastronomy is a universal language,” he concluded. “This event reflected the true power of food to connect people across borders,” said Olivier Morel, chief business officer at Valrhona.
“Valrhona serves as a canvas for chefs. It enables them to express creativity through culinary artistry. In our region, where food culture is evolving rapidly, that expression carries even greater meaning. Our IMEA hub supports that mission—equipping chefs with tools, community and purpose. Le Fil Rouge was one way we brought that to life,” said Guillaume Lafaix, Business Unit Manager for IMEA at Valrhona.
Marie-Charlotte Rossignol, IMEA senior brand marketing at Valrhona, emphasized the collaborative spirit behind the experience, saying: “We cherish the opportunity to celebrate our chefs and community, uniting them in a unique bond of friendship, creativity, and passion. We are fortunate to venture beyond the conventional paths, supported by a collective that eagerly embraces our most adventurous ideas. It’s truly a blessing to unleash our imagination without limits and have everyone onboard! Our inaugural immersive event allowed us to captivate all senses—visual, auditory, taste, and more—transporting our community beyond borders with a new experience. .Special thanks to our chefs and to Hadrien, Reif, Kelvin, Carmen, Brice, François, Khaled to the Louvre Abu Dhabi and Jumana Al Darwish, our team and partners the artist Bardoart who honored unity with a commissioned portrait of HH Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan and Thierry Chehab who sketched the whole night into one arty memory.”
From history to the plate: Kings, queens and cocoa
Guests began the evening with a private tour of the Kings and Queens of Africa exhibit—an evocative journey through African leadership and symbolism. Sponsored by Valrhona, the exhibition highlighted the roots of cocoa within broader narratives of heritage, power and place. As the tour transitioned into dinner, the night’s central theme emerged: legacy is not something inherited—it’s something cultivated and shared.
Culinary expression under the dome
Beneath the iconic dome of the Louvre Abu Dhabi, six chefs—Hadrien Villedieu, Reif Othman, Kelvin Cheung, Khaled Al Saadi, Carmen Rueda and Brice Konan-Ferrand—curated a dinner rooted in storytelling and culinary togetherness. Brice Konan-Ferrand of L’École Valrhona Dubai led the dessert course with precision, blending Cuvée du Sourceur Jamaica 70%, texture and narrative into a closing statement. Chef Carmen Rueda captivated guests with a stunning creation inspired by both nature and artistry. She crafted an intricate dessert shaped as a delicate rose, celebrating the chocolate from Cuvée du Sourceur Organic Ivory Coast 56%. This exquisite piece combined the deep, rich flavors of the chocolate with subtle notes of coconut, resulting in a refined and aromatic profile. The rose shape was a tribute to the spirit of the Louvre Abu Dhabi — merging fine art with the highest techniques of modern pastry.
Each creation offered more than taste; it carried intention—merging local inspiration with global know-how. François Daubinet teamed up with L’École Valrhona Dubai to create a special gifting box, which served as the perfect finishing touch for everyone involved.
Design thinking in chocolate form
Valrhona extended the experience with three immersive activations:
• The Cocoa Room invited guests into symbolic, fortune-inspired journeys.
• The Chocolate Essence Bar paired rare cocoa varietals with local flavors, exploring terroir through contrast and complement.
The chocolate forge, symbolizing the community bond we build together, featured bricks meticulously crafted by Surya Menawan Abadi, an artisan specializing in brick production from Pejaten in Bali’s Tabanan region. This area is celebrated for its traditional Balinese crafts, particularly its high-quality bricks made from clay and fired in traditional kilns. This forge represents the connection between craftsmanship, the local community, Valrhona plantation, and the legacy Valrhona and chefs are building together.• Mixologist Enrique Minning crafted cocoa infused cocktails and mocktails, introducing a new language and inspirations.
The bigger picture
Le Fil Rouge was a hands-on expression of community. It showed how chocolate, framed through sustainability, culture and innovation, can spark meaningful connections across chefs, artisans and ideas.
For Valrhona, it reaffirmed an investment in the region through its growing IMEA hub. For the broader industry, it offered a timely reminder: immersive experiences, when rooted in authenticity, can unite communities and inspire real dialogue.
