In 20 cities around the globe, the new Futropolis theme was simultaneously revealed live on September 22nd by the world’s most influential pastry chefs and chocolatiers. In a teasing campaign built up in weeks before, the world discovered bit by bit where the future chocolate flavours will lead us to.

Starting in Asia

The Futropolis reveal took off in Singapore, in the Chocolate Academy™ centre. Among the guests: Asia’s leading pastry chefs who looked back at the highlights of previous World Chocolate Masters world final during which the Japanese, Taiwanese and Chinese contestants stunned the world with their amazing creativity and incredibly elaborated and balanced flavours.

But more importantly of course, was the foresight straight into the eyes of the future… leading to the Futropolis reveal. The new theme instantaneously started tickling the imagination of new contestants from the Asia Pacific region, entering the competition.

Echoing around the world

After the kick-start in Asia, the reveal lead to Shanghai, Tokyo, Dubai, Moscow, Warsaw, Prague, and eventually to Central Europe.

France, home of Cacao Barry and of the previous world champ of the World Chocolate Masters 2015, organised the press event in the futuristic Philharmonie de Paris, a concert venue designed by architect Jean Nouvel.

Current titleholder Vincent Vallée, was not only surprised when he discovered the new theme. The inspiration started flowing immediately: “Wow… this theme holds quite some complexity and deeper layers. You could easily interpret the future as technical and . But I think the challenge for all contestants will be in making it warm, engaging and deeply emotional.”

What chefs say about Futropolis

When we asked the chefs attending about some first impressions and ideas they’d associate with Futropolis, we listened to varied ideas and suggestions.

– Luc Baudin –

“To me, this is all about combining nature and natural flavours with urban concepts. Maybe from ingredients grown and harvested in the city. I also think about pure, fresh, healthy creations – very little sugar. And they should be environmentally friendly… Minimal packaging, even bio-degradable or edible… And technique should help us to create new flavour sensations, yet respecting the ‘source ingredient’…. ”

– Ken Thomas –

“The future is not a standalone thing. We build the future thanks to what we inherited. So in my interpretation, I would dive into the history and dig in what great visionaries were thinking and how they changed the world. That would be my starting point. And in terms of flavours, the city of the future will have no boundaries. It will be inhabited by all cultures, races and beliefs. So I would try to find inspiration in cuisines and cultures all over the world and blend them into a new universal flavour language.”

– Vincent Vallée –

“ To me, the future is about mobility. People will be moving constantly in the cities. We’ll see an explosion of food trucks and mobile food providers. And for pastry chefs, this requires a whole new way of thinking and production. Everything will be made fresh and served fresh – no freezers. That itself is quite a revolution.

Yet also, in the taste – this theme is really interesting. Because the future should taste great. So, bringing science, technology and nature together into really enjoyable pastries will be a wonderful challenge for all contestants in this competition. ”