Chocolate Essentials

Hospo, Food & Tourism

A one day or two evening hands-on course that teaches essential chocolate making skills in the professional kitchen, covering techniques and tricks under the guidance of specialized tutors.

NZ$155

inc GST

Enquire about international pricing


This course starts anytime


In-person study

Face-to-face learning in a physical classroom setting

New Zealand School of Food and Wine, Auckland

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Understand chocolate ingredients and quality

Gain foundational knowledge about chocolate types, key ingredients, and how ingredient choice affects results.

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Master chocolate tempering

Learn and apply correct techniques for melting and cooling chocolate to achieve glossy, well-tempered results.

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Produce a variety of chocolate products

Create chocolate treats such as gateau, ganache, truffles, piped decorations, and spun sugar to professional standards.

What You're Signing Up For

Chocolate Essentials is a short, practical course offered by the New Zealand School of Food and Wine, focusing on key skills and techniques in working with chocolate. Delivered over one day (weekend) or two evenings, participants learn about chocolate ingredients, tempering, piping runouts, ganache creation, and produce a series of chocolate treats under the guidance of an experienced chef-tutor. The course takes place in a supportive, small-class environment and is suitable for those wishing to build confidence and knowledge working with chocolate.

Course Content

  • Introduction to chocolate varieties
  • Tempering chocolate: melting and cooling for a shiny finish
  • Runouts: piping shapes and designs from melted chocolate
  • Ganache: ratios, uses and making truffles/icing
  • Chocolate gateau preparation
  • Spun sugar techniques
  • Practical chocolate work in a professional kitchen

What you need to know first

Aged 17 or over

English language recommendation: NCEA Level 1 or IELTS 5.0

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What sort of industry will this job lead to

  • Hospitality

  • Food Preparation

  • Confectionery

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Future employment opportunities might be

  • Entry level chocolate and confectionery roles

  • Hospitality service roles with chocolate preparation

  • Personal baking/catering business enhancement