Latrobe’s Chocolate Winterfest delights in ‘food of the gods’

CHOCOLATIER Igor Van Gerwen says chocolate should be savoured as the “food of the gods”.

Chocolate painters (L-R) Beverley McNamara and Alexander Nichols at the launch of the Chocolate Winterfest at latrobe

LATROBE’S annual celebration of all things chocolate is in its 12th year and chocolatier Igor Van Gerwen says the sweet treat should be savoured as the “food of the gods”, not a mass-produced confection.

This year’s festival will kick off with a chocolate smorgasbord on August 7, a lantern parade on August 8 and the Chocolate Winterfest proper on August 9.

Thirty-five events, involving 500 organisers and artists, will be held across 24 venues in and around Latrobe.

Those artists will include Beverley McNamara and Alex Nicholas, who will use chocolate as a medium in a public painting display at the Latrobe Memorial Hall from 10.30am until 4pm on August 9.

The Boat Harbour artists said using chocolate was both a challenge and a great opportunity to explore new ways of creating artwork.

Launching the event at Latrobe’s House of Anvers, Mr Van Gerwen said chocolate needed to revert to being a special food not an everyday cheap experience.

He said chocolate lovers in developed countries should also be prepared to pay more so those who grow cocoa beans around the world could enjoy a better standard of living.