Max
Chocolatier
Special Edition
2
Editorial
Dear Reader
The recipe for a good life calls for many select
ingredients, which, if carefully mixed, lead to true
happiness. That is why the Swiss travel magazine
Transhelvetica continually searches for secret destinations, adventures, and other tips that lend life
its special flavour. On one of our “expeditions” we
discovered Max Chocolatier and their incredibly tasty chocolate. Wrapped with style and
humour, the handcrafted chocolates not only look
perfect, but also trigger a firework of different flavours on the tongue. This must be the taste of pure
indulgence! And ever since we made this discovery,
we cannot pass through Lucerne or stroll through
Jon Bollmann
Publisher Transhelvetica
Zurich without giving in to temptation, stopping at
the chocolate boutique for a little
escape from our daily routines.
For our “Max” themed issue, we were granted a
look behind the scenes at Max Chocolatier. The
magazine sold out, so we’ve reprinted this
story as a special edition. We hope you enjoy
reading it – and perhaps we’ll even inspire you to
discover Max Chocolatier for yourself!
Cover
Paper cut by Maria Schneider
Photographed by Tamara Janes, tamarajanes.ch
Editorial portrait
Alex Wydler, alexwydler.com
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Inspiration Max
← A chocolate factory for a chocolate lover:
Max König takes pride in his very own
chocolate factory.
Max &
the Chocolate
Factory
A chocolate fairy tale from Lucerne
When Max König was a little boy, he had to work hard to keep up with the other children. Today, he is the proud owner of one of Switzerland’s best chocolate factories.
Chocolate “river” included.
Text Jon Bollmann
Picture: Samatha Scott
Whenever Max snacks on the sweet treats from his own
factory, his eyes start to shine and his taste buds dance
like the coloured lights on a Ferris wheel. But to understand this flavourful magic, let us go back a few years – or
even millennia.
The Discovery of the Chocolate Tree
The history of chocolate starts in Mesoamerica, where,
3000 years ago, the Olmecs discovered a tree with strange
fruit. The pulp of these fruits was refreshing and their
beans had a bittersweet aftertaste. The Olmecs must
have liked it; in any case, the fruit of the cacao tree soon
gained considerable significance in their culture. Declaring its origin divine, they annually held a sacrificial
celebration in its honour. Not without reason, perhaps,
as the liquid cocoa they made from the beans of the
cacao tree had an intoxicating effect. Only the aristocracy and participants of important ceremonies, such as
priests and those destined to be sacrificed, were allowed
to drink it. Hernán Cortés, the most ruthless conqueror
in Central America, observed that the best cacao beans
were not only processed to be consumed, but also served
as currency (a good slave was worth about 100 beans).
He brought a few bags of the precious resource back to
Europe. However, in the Old World, cacao beans were
not an accepted means of payment and the taste of the
unprocessed fruit did not appeal to European palates.
Only after people started to balance its bitterness with
the sweetness of honey and cane sugar, did the cacao
bean conquer our part of the world. Served as cocoa,
it gained popularity in European high society. Soon, no
social event of any significance could do without the exquisite drink.
Chocolate Comes to Switzerland
Since its ingredients were expensive, chocolate long remained a luxury item. Common people from the lower
or middle classes only got a taste of the sweet flavour of
Middle America when illness struck. Until the 19th century, chocolate was seen as a tonic and healing potion.
It was therefore sold in pharmacies. With the advent of
industrialisation and the advance of global trade, however, chocolate became more affordable. As prices came
down, its appeal spread beyond the affluent elites. In
1819, François-Louis Cailler founded Switzerland’s
first fully mechanised chocolate manufacture in Vevey.
Others followed. Switzerland’s global reputation as a
chocolate nation is in large parts due to three men: Henri
Nestlé, Daniel Peter – Cailler’s son-in-law who invented
milk chocolate –, and Rodolphe Lindt. The latter pioneered
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Max & the Chocolate Factory
Rivers of Chocolate
Having found the right suppliers, Patrik König and his
father took on board a young chocolatier who had won
the 2nd prize in the World Chocolate Masters. The three
of them holed up in an atelier at the heart of Lucerne
Switzerland Is Hooked
The most fervent advocates and best consumers of Swiss where they started to experiment with the painstakingly
chocolate are the Swiss themselves; a third of the nation- collected flavours and explore different combinations.
al production is consumed within the country. One of Though their laboratory offers fantastic views – over the
the families contributing to Switzerland’s high per cap- lake promenade, the many swans and proud ships of Lake
ita consumption is the König family. Like so many other Lucerne – the three chocolate innovators had no time
Swiss, they can never get enough of good chocolate. So to revel in the beauty of their surroundings. Amidst the
it is perhaps no surprise that Patrik König, who travelled rich smell of cocoa and rivers of white, brown, and black
the world as a banker and watch retailer, sought out and Grand Cru chocolate, they worked tirelessly to create
tried the best chocolate wherever he went. Driven by his new recipes. They would settle for nothing less than
love for chocolate, he visited exquisite, small ateliers in chocolate that would enchant the city, the country, and
Brooklyn and Paris, in Barcelona, Tokyo, and Brussels. at some point, the world.
Little by little he realised that Switzerland, though it Once the recipes began to match the founder’s expectproduces excellent industrial chocolate, plays a minor ations, the enterprise needed a catchy name and the
role in the production of handmade chocolate. Being a chocolates stylish packaging. Patrik König therefore
chocolate aficionado as well as a gourmet with an aware- turned to his wife, Hilda Chédel. The native Salvadorian
had many years of experience in
ness for Swiss quality and tradition,
marketing and an affinity for cacao.
Patrik König made the (for him) obWherever she went, she spread that
vious choice. He wanted to remedy
joy of life otherwise typical for the
this shortcoming; Switzerland was to
home of the cacao tree. Soon, Hilda
become the home of a manufacture
had infused the chocolate atelier with
of unique, high-quality chocolate and
her Central American charm. She
handmade truffles – chocolate, the
made sure – then as she does now –
like of which Switzerland had never
that the little chocolate wonders are
tasted before. And thus, the idea to
presented perfectly and yet, with a
produce his own chocolate took hold
dash of humour. Investing her energy
and grew …
not only into providing the truffles,
Flavour Expeditions
dragées, and chocolate bunnies with
When the bookstore situated next
appropriate “outfits”, but also into
to his watch store in Lucerne closed,
refining the recipes, she proved to be
Close: Max and Patrik König.
Patrik König seized the opportunity.
a valuable asset for the young choco­­­
Together with his father, with whom
late brand.
he shared his passion for chocolate and for quality, he
embarked on the adventure. Since the best chocolate can Max Chocolatier
only be produced from the best ingredients, they started As the preparations for the opening of their very own
chocolate boutique were in full swing, there was one
by scouring the globe for high-quality resources.
Someone who knows the high standards of the König fam­ thing the König family looked forward to in particular:
ily is Heini Schwarzenbach, the owner of the Schwarzen- the festive unveiling of the large sign above the door, on
bach specialty store in Zurich. There the Königs regularly the day of the opening. Everyone involved knew what it
discover spices and order flavours from all over the world. would say. After all, the adventure had blossomed into
In extensive tasting sessions with friends and specialists, a true family enterprise. And while there had been disthese flavours are tested and the favourites chosen: cacao agreements and discussions about certain details of the
beans from Latin America, vanilla from Tahiti, almonds new chocolate boutique – as there are even in the most
from California, hazelnuts from Piedmont, alpine milk functional of families – there was something, or rather
from Uri, and honey from the blooming meadows on the someone, they never fought about. Someone who could
shores of Lake Lucerne. Another important partner is always bring them together and united them. That someMax Felchlin’s company, one of the best producers of one is Max.
Grand Cru couverture chocolate in the world. For the Max is Patrik’s son and the hero of the König family.
Königs, Felchlin not only developed an exclusive cou- He has more than others, for he was born with an
verture, the company also provides them with such rare additional chromosome. And though that renders his life
specialties as wild cacao from the Bolivian jungle, or fine difficult at times, Max embodies what his family seeks to
stand for with their chocolate: honesty and contentment.
cacao from Madagascar.
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Picture left: Samatha Scott / Picture right: Lee Jakob
a refining process, called conching, through which
choco­late can be made palatable without the necessary
addition of honey and sugar.
A land of milk and chocolate: liquid chocolate flows from the faucet in the chocolate atelier.
Artisanal: each chocolate is finished by hand with a cooled stamp.
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Max & the Chocolate Factory
Bean to Bar
Fresh from the Tree
Once ripe, the fruit of the cacao tree, the so-called pods, are harvested. They are then cut open with machetes and the sticky white
pulp, which contains the beans, is scooped out.
Taking the Heat
The beans and the pulp are wrapped in banana leaves and left to
ferment at temperatures of up to 45 – 50 degrees Celsius (113 – 122
degrees Fahrenheit). During this process, the pulp evaporates or
drains away, and the beans undergo a short period of germination
before the rising temperatures and the acidity kill off the beans’ germination capacity. While the germination is crucial for achieving the
desired taste in the end product, killing off the germination capacity
preserves the beans for transport, trade, and further processing.
As the cell walls break down and the cell sap spreads in the bean,
the fermentation process alleviates the bean’s bitterness and gives
rise to the chemical compounds that will later develop into the typi­
cal chocolate flavours.
After five to six days, the fermentation process is completed and
the beans are spread out to dry in the tropical sun. This once again
increases their storage life and further develops the desired flavours. Once water content has decreased from around 60% to 5%,
the beans are ready to be shipped to the chocolate factory.
Welcome to the Chocolate Factory
Arriving at the chocolate factory, the beans are thoroughly cleaned.
Depending on the variety, the desired quality and taste, the beans
are roasted for 15 – 60 minutes at temperatures of 100 – 140 degrees Celsius (212 – 284 degrees Fahrenheit). During the roasting
process, the beans turn the typical chocolate colour and fully develop all of their over 400 flavours. As a next step, crushing the
beans or slinging them against a metal plate cracks the shells,
which are then separated from the pieces of the broken beans.
These resulting cocoa nibs still contain a few unwanted flavours
which will later be eliminated through conching.
Grinding Tasks
As the nibs are ground, their cell structure is broken down and
cocoa butter is released. The heat caused by the friction melts the
cocoa butter which envelops the increasingly smaller nibs. The dry
cocoa nibs thus turn into a liquid paste, the so-called cocoa liquor.
Mixed with sugar, milk, and spices, this paste already tastes like
chocolate, though it still has a sandy texture on the tongue.
Smooth It Out
To achieve a soft, silky texture, the chocolate paste is ground once
again, until the solids in the paste are tiny. This process has a significant effect on the flavour of the finished product, since it turns
the nibs into tiny, rugged, porous particles and separates the solids
from the cocoa butter.
Picture: Lee Jakob
Stir It Up
To once again assure an even distribution of the solids within the
cocoa butter, the liquid chocolate is then conched. Conching is a
process that involves heating the chocolate mixture to about 90
degrees Celsius (194 degrees Fahrenheit) and stirring it for hours
until it becomes a smooth, silky liquid with a moisture content of
less than 1%. At the same time, some flavour compounds of the
cocoa butter attach themselves to the sugar, giving rise to a more
harmonious taste. Undesirable flavour compounds, on the other
hand, are eliminated during conching.
A Cool Finish
As it comes out of the conch, the chocolate is too liquid to be
further processed. The mixture is therefore seeded with fat crystals and slowly cooled down, following a very specific temperature
curve, to about 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit). This
process, called tempering, prevents the cocoa butter from crystallising at the surface of the chocolate and forming a thin, whitish
layer. Though this layer does not affect the taste, it makes for a less
appealing finish. If done correctly, tempering the chocolate should
result in a shiny finish and a crisp snapping sound when the chocolate bar is broken into pieces.
Coupled with a little stubbornness, and lots of diligence.
Max works daily to improve his speech and his manners.
His goal is to become an important contributor to his
family’s chocolate venture. And to reach that goal, no
obstacle is too high, no burden too heavy. Because his
love for chocolate is greater than any of the challenges he
faces. In fact, there are few things Max loves more than
chocolate. And for that reason, Max’ face lit up and he
couldn’t stop smiling on the day of the opening, when he
read the sign above the door: “Max Chocolatier,” it said
in pretty letters.
First Tastes
Once the brand name was decided, the last few details
were arranged. A Scandinavian design studio was tasked
with drawing up the company’s graphic presentation.
Meanwhile, a family member took charge of creating a
fitting shop interior: Patrik König’s sister is an architect.
Her elegant design, which uses granite from Vals and
locally grown oak, provided a suitable environment for
the finely crafted chocolates. By using robust local materials, she wanted to reflect the warmth, and the respect
for nature and for tradition that are so important to this
enterprise and its founders. And since natural mater­ials
are full of secrets and surprises, they are a little bit like
Max. And like Hilda. With her lively manner, she makes
sure a warm welcome is extended to all who visit this
realm of sweet temptations. Visitors who want to learn
more about the ingredients, the production, or the reci­­
pes of the brand’s exclusive creations can open the many
drawers in the boutique; they contain answers and many
a sweet surprise – all in keeping with the motto of the
Lady of this realm: “Always surprise the customer!”
Those who linger to explore the boutique and its tempting contents a little more in depth may suddenly find
that they are being offered a coffee – and thus linger
even longer.
On 27 September 2009, the time had come: after years
of preparation, Max’ very own chocolate boutique opened
its doors to the public at Schweizerhofquai 2 in Lucerne
– on the birthday of Max’ grandfather. Whenever Max
now visits his “chocolate factory”, it is not without pride.
“He’s the boss,” the employees say and anyone new at
the company is introduced to him personally. And when,
with shining eyes, he reaches for a piece of his own choco­
late, it becomes obvious what – or who – inspired the
brand promise: “experience chocolate for the first time.”
For Max carefully opens the box, chooses a chocolate,
turns and admires it, before smelling and, finally, tasting
it with closed eyes. A content smile spreads over his face
as a symphony of flavours seems to spellbind his whole
body. Max enjoys every single bite as if he was experiencing the taste of chocolate for the first time.
Taking Root
A year later, the chocolate boutique had become a fixture for the locals. The elegant boxes with their delicious
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Pictures: Lee Jakob
The moulds are filled, then closed with chocolate ganache. After 12 hours, the chocolates have cooled and the moulds can be tipped over.
To create the “SchoggiPlättli”, chocolate couverture is flavoured, e.g. with coconut flakes, spread out and, as soon as it starts to harden, cut into
little squares. As the silicone mat from underneath is pulled off at a 45 degree angle, it leaves an imprint of the brand logo in the chocolate.
The almonds are caramelised in a copper pot, then covered with chocolate in the so-called “tumbler”. In the final step, the dragées are
transferred to a sieve and coated with cocoa powder. As long as the original packaging isn’t opened, the almond dragées keep for several months.
The finishing touches on the chocolates include a brush of gold powder, lavender blossoms, or a few grains of fleur de sel.
Max & the Chocolate Factory
contents were sure to delight and enchant – whether as
a birthday present for a good friend or as a sweet
treat for a beloved spouse. Yet, the chocolate lovers
at Max Chocolatier wanted to go further; they wanted to conquer all of Switzerland with their product.
So Hilda Chédel quit her previous job and brought her
passion and skill to the management of the young company. Lining up project after project, she is determined
to lead the start-up to success through steady progress.
One of her projects is the Chocodor. Realising that even
business people like to take a break from studying their
files, and indulge in a little sweet something, she consulted a cabinet­maker to create a sort of humidor for
choc­olates. The stylish wooden desktop box makes sure
that the chocolates inside are perfectly tempered and
conserved. And with a weekly refill, the sweet treats are
never in short supply.
Time for Quality
The product range, too, is constantly being improved
and developed. Every few months, the boutique surprises
customers with new, seasonal creations. For Trans­
helvetica, the König family organised a degustation and
we were allowed to try the 2017 summer collection ahead
of time. After 25 different flavours, our taste buds were
hyped like a four-year old after a two-hour fireworks display. The Königs, however, just seemed to be warming up
and asked their master chocolate maker for more samples. Perhaps they all fell into a big pot of chocolate when
they were children, and have subsequently developed
chocolate superpowers and preferences. Shortly before
we were overwhelmed by all these flavours, however, we
managed to jot down some of our favourites: the basil
calamondin chocolates, for example, or the ginger cherry
ones. Luckily for us – and for our blood sugar levels – the
little gems have a production time of about four days. On
the first day, the filling is mixed, then left to cool and set.
On the following day, the mixture is cut into little squares
which, once again, are left to rest and set in their new
shape. Immediately covering them with chocolate would
lead to little cavities between the filling and the choco­
late coating which might then crack. When the little jelly
squares finally do get their chocolate dressing, they once
again need time to cool before they are ready for the
final touches – be that a little chocolate flourish from the
piping bag, a chocolate stamp or, for the most extravagant pieces, a brush of gold dust. On the fourth day of
production, the little edible masterpieces are carefully
put into elegant boxes – their “little home,” as Hilda calls
it. Finally, a silk ribbon completes the packaging – which
can be further adorned by the customer with little tags
that carry various messages.
Eternal Favourites
At first, Hilda and Patrik planned on something unheard
of in the chocolate industry: they wanted to switch the
complete product range every season. However, Max objected and there are now at least two delicacies that are
always available: the “Gugelhöpfli” cakes, made to an
old, secret family recipe, and the “raspberry branchlis”,
fruity truffles that look especially big with their elongated bar shape and have therefore found particular
favour with Max. But it is not only Max who loves them.
Should we ever realise our dream of owning a Chocodor, we too will be sure to always have them in stock.
Thank you Max! ●
Chocolate: Facts & Figures
4,200,700 tons of cacao were harvested globally in 2014/2015.
The biggest producers of cacao are the Ivory Coast and Ghana,
followed by Indonesia and South America.
Switzerland annually imports about 1 % of the global cacao harvest
(in comparison, Germany imports approximately 10 %).
The Swiss love their chocolate. The national per capita consumption is 11.7 kg per year (including sales to tourists and cross-border
commuters).
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White chocolate is, technically speaking, not chocolate because it
contains no cocoa, but only cocoa butter and sugar.
The fridge is not a good place to store your chocolate; instead, it
is best kept at 16 degrees Celsius (about 60 degrees Fahrenheit).
Processing takes place at about 29 – 31 degrees Celsius (84 – 88
degrees Fahrenheit). For best results and a glossy finish, chocolate
products should be cooled slowly after processing.
Many of the nutrients in chocolate, such as proteins, carbohydrates, but also trace elements, mineral nutrients, and vitamins, are
essential for a balanced diet. Thus, chocolate is good for you!
Picture above: Lee Jakob / Picture below left: Sebastian Doerk / Picture below right: Samantha Scott
Treasure boxes: after four days, the chocolates have received their finishing touches.
Max’ favourites: the raspberry branchlis.
Pure pleasure: Max enjoys every bite of his chocolate.
STORES
CONTACT
Boutique Lucerne
Schweizerhofquai 2
6004 Lucerne
Switzerland
Sales
+41 (0) 41 418 70 97
[email protected]
+41 (0) 41 418 70 90
[email protected]
Mon:
1 pm – 6.30 pm
Tue – Fri: 10 am – 6.30 pm
Sat: 10 am – 5 pm
Boutique Zurich
Schlüsselgasse 12
8001 Zurich
Switzerland
Marketing & PR
+41 (0) 41 418 70 98
[email protected] Tastings & Makings
+41 (0) 41 418 70 95
[email protected]
+41 (0) 44 251 03 33
[email protected]
Tue – Fri: 10.30 am – 7 pm
Sat:
10 am – 5.30 pm
Online Shop
www.maxchocolatier.com/en/shop
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Credits
Text: Jon Bollmann, Design: Fabian Leuenberger,
Editor: Nicole Naville, Translation: Claudia Walder,
Translation editor: Amanda Blair, Printed by: Köpflipartners AG,
Circulation: 1000, Paper: PlanoSpeed® (has been awarded the
ecolabel EU Flower).
This article first appeared in issue No. 33 of the Swiss travel
magazine Transhelvetica. Transhelvetica is a product of
Passaport AG. transhelvetica.ch
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