Tourism & Hospitality | Sunday 30 April, 2017 9:08 am |

 

One of the most extensively profiled chefs by the international press, specialised patissier and award-winning chocolatier, Will Torrent, flew in from the United Kingdom to share his love for chocolate and all things sweet with the young lot of the UAE at the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF 2017).

 

One of the celebrity chefs showcased at the reading festival’s ‘Cookery Corner’, Torrent spoke enthusiastically about his passion for chocolate, and educated his audience about the fact that good quality chocolate is healthy, delicious and, in the right hands, can be an art form.

 

“If you like sweet stuff, this is the book to have,” he said as he picked a recipe from his book, Chocolate at Home – maple and pecan brownies, and gave a step-by-step demonstration on how to create the dessert, detailing the main techniques to make them deliciously rich and delightful.

 

At the end of a chocolaty showcase, the audience enjoyed freshly baked brownies, and were advised by the chef to eat desserts and sweets sparingly, to make special occasions more memorable.

 

“Cooking is in my blood, handed down through the generations so I always knew what I wanted to be in life…that week working with Heston when I was still at school changed my life forever,” said the friendly patissier, who began his career with a week with British celebrity chef, Heston Blumenthal, at the age of 16.

 

Will Torrent has worked with top chefs including
 Jamie Oliver, Yolande Stanley MCA, William Curley, Brian Turner CBE and Gary Rhodes,
as well as at The Dorchester, Claridges, The Lanesborough and The Fat Duck. His TV appearances include BBC’s Blue Peter, and more.

 

Running until Saturday, 29 April, at Expo Centre Sharjah, the ninth edition of SCRF is being held under the theme ‘Discover Beyond’ and features a line-up of 2,093 activities. A total of 123 exhibitors from across the world are displaying their literature-related products and services at the event.

 

The full programme of activities, seminars and workshops can be found at www.scrf.ae.