Under the eyes of Olaf, Nemo and Ratatouille, Vincent Rebeyrol is active, brush in hand, in the kitchens of the vocational school La Malgrange, attached to the vocational school La Briquerie, in Thionville. An appetizing smell of cocoa rises from the molds of Saint Nicholas in which the chef applies a layer of liquid chocolate. “This is a very important step, called the shine layer. It is this that gives chocolate its glossy appearance. “
Since his arrival in this kitchen thirteen years ago, Vincent Rebeyrol, artisan chocolatier by training, has devoted himself to this annual ritual which he himself has established. “I take advantage of the All Saints’ Day holidays and have the kitchen to myself to prepare these treats for the students, and thus share my passion for chocolate. “
In all, over a thousand chocolate saints will be prepared. “They will be distributed to students of La Malgrange, La Briquerie and children of the Le Lierre center at the beginning of December. I always told myself that if they had to taste good chocolate once in their life, it would be thanks to me. In addition, we are the only establishment in the Grand Est to do so, ”the chef is proud of.
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Top quality chocolate
To keep his promises, Vincent does not skimp on quality. “The chocolate has to be worked, then it has to stand for nearly twelve hours in a liquid state, before it can be molded. This is how it takes all its flavor. Moreover, my wife Carole takes care of bagging them within an hour of unmolding, to keep all the aroma. “
But if the Saints Nicolas will join their owners in early December, the Disney characters who inhabit the kitchen are not there by chance. “On November 18, Mickey will turn 92. I’m a mad lover of it, so I’m also marking the occasion, ”underlines the chocolate maker, revealing praline portraits of the mouse. “The children will have cookies with a praline on them, but also large chocolate Mickey Mouse heads to share. “
In all, 90 kilograms of dark, milk or white chocolate are needed to satisfy gourmets. “And a lot of work for a week, knowing that it must be prepared a fortnight in advance. But we are supported from start to finish by the management which finances the operation each year. Usually, children come to see the preparation, but with the sanitary context … We even asked ourselves the question of making these chocolates or not, but you also have to be able to have fun. Especially in this period, so we take our precautions. “
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