Master chocolatier Cecilia Rabassi

Italy’s first master chocolatier, Cecilia Rabassi is creating an oasis in the Tuscan countryside where people can savor and learn about “The Chocolate of Tomorrow.”

“Creating chocolate is like a dance. Every movement must be perfect and perfection is achieved only by trying and trying again, with sacrifice, perseverance and passion.”

That’s how Cecilia Tessieri Rabassi, the first female maître chocolatier in the world and the first person to earn the title in Italy, describes on her website the product she has carefully crafted for more than 30 years.

Rabassi was appointed Cavaliere al merito della Repubblica Italiana (Knight of Merit of the Italian Republic) in 2007, an honor reserved for the best “Made in Italy” ambassadors. In 2021, she received the first President’s Award bestowed by the Academy of Chocolate in London.

Rabassi talks to Fra Noi about her journey into the world of chocolate, how one is supposed to taste it, and her plans for the future.

Elena Ferrarin: What does maître chocolatier mean exactly?

Cecilia Rabassi: A maître chocolatier is an expert who makes chocolate starting from raw cocoa beans and turns it into all kinds of chocolate, from bonbons to mou (a semi-soft caramel-flavored candy) and everything else. There is no specific exam that you have to pass. Nowadays, the term is used too easily, I have to say.

EF: Where did you grow up and what was your childhood like?

CR: I live in Capannoli in Tuscany, and I was born in Pontedera, which is nearby. I have always lived in this area, although I have traveled a lot, and continue to travel for work. My mother was an elementary-school teacher and my dad owned a business that sold pastry products.

EF: Did you eat a lot of chocolate growing up?

CR: Not really. But one of my best memories about chocolate is my father bringing home an Easter egg made with dark chocolate and decorated with roses.

EF: How did your interest develop?

CR: I graduated high school and then enrolled at the University of Pisa to study economics. Then my family decided to embark on an adventure and start working with chocolate, so I decided to leave my studies after a year and join in. That was in the late 1980s, at a time when little was known about cocoa and chocolate in Italy, other than in the Piemonte region, which is famous for its gianduia (a blend of chocolate and hazelnut paste) and Gianduiotti chocolates. Amedei was the name of our family business, and I was in charge of packaging research and development. We produced chocolate by working with agronomists and selecting cocoa directly from plantations.

EF: You left Amedei in 2020, and two years later founded your own artisanal chocolate brand, Cecilia Rabassi. Why did you make that choice?

CR: It came to a point when working for a big company wasn’t fulfilling anymore. I saw that clients wanted a different type of product, something beyond the classic chocolate bar, however tasty it may be. I want to create a new concept, which I call “The Chocolate of Tomorrow.” Now I work in my small atelier and with machinery created the way I wanted it. It’s all about small quantities and high quality — no compromises. I usually get cocoa beans from South and Central America — Colombia, Nicaragua, Peru — and Madagascar. Now I am starting to study cocoa from Asia. I travel to the location and speak at length with the farmer to understand their product.

EF: Tell us about your chocolate.

CR: I don’t add any artificial flavors to my chocolate, because I believe the aroma of chocolate must come from the raw material. That’s why it’s so important to select the right chocolate and buy directly from farmers. My chocolate is a niche product, the kind where maybe 10, 20 or 30 grams are enough to feel satisfied.

EF: How do you properly taste chocolate?

CR: First of all, you have to eat it for its taste, not because you are hungry. An easy example for people to understand is drinking wine. When you taste a rare wine, you pour it carefully, you smell it, you swirl it and you savor it. It’s the same thing with chocolate. You take a small piece and you smell it, then you put it in your mouth and let it dissolve so you can taste all its aromas. The best chocolate has a smooth aromatic curve, no peaks and valleys. You can taste a lot of things, like fruit, spices, coffee … but you should never purse your lips and feel that the chocolate is too sweet or too bitter. It has to produce a pleasant sensation.

EF: What do you think of unconventional chocolate flavors, like, say, chili chocolate?

CR: To me, that’s a clear example of a product that is all about marketing and not quality. You must be able to detect the aromas of chocolate, but chili smothers all of that. In Italy, at one point we had a pistachio boom: panettoni, cornetti, chocolate, everything had pistachio. In that case, it has to be high-quality pistachio, otherwise it’s obscene.

EF: Tell us about your business.

CR: Right now, we have our atelier where we make chocolate and have a small space to welcome clients. We’ve been putting a lot of work into setting up a beautiful place in the countryside that should be done in November, where people can come savor “The Chocolate of Tomorrow.” The vision is a place where you can come with a friend or loved one, and discover the luxury of savoring chocolate in a relaxed and peaceful way. We are going to pamper our clients, and it’s going to be all about passion, love, sharing and joy. I also work a lot as a consultant, helping companies refine their products, or create new ones. It’s a totally different kind of professional experience, and I really enjoy it.

EF: Is your chocolate available in the United States?

CR: We do sell in the United States through Ritrovo.com, and we are looking to further expand into the U.S. market. A few stores (for example, DeLaurenti in Seattle and Ari’s Pantry in Dallas) sell our chocolate. Our products are also available for sale on our website (ceciliarabassi.com/en/).

EF: What else do you love besides chocolate?

CR: I have my family: my husband, Alfredo, who works in food sales, and my two sons, ages 22 and 31. The youngest one works with me. I also like to plant roses in my garden — I feel a connection with the soil, with the earth, and the seasons and the colors. It all gives me a lot of joy and creativity. Oh, and my basset hound Artu’ — he’s the showpiece of the family!

The article above appears in the December 2024 issue of the print version of Fra Noi. Our gorgeous, monthly magazine contains a veritable feast of news and views, profiles and features, entertainment and culture. To subscribe, click here.