ODED BRENNER ON CHOCOLATE CULTURE
As the chocolatier behind Max Brenner: Chocolate by the Bald Man, Oded Brenner is the pioneer of a new culture in chocolate consumption. The underlying insight behind his menu of chocolate fantasies is a reconciliation of the way consumers think about chocolate with the way they experience it.
Conventional chocolate retail concepts are intimidating – no touching the dainty little bonbons. But the experience of chocolate is fraught with emotional associations of Wonka-esque indulgence. At an early shop of Brenner’s, customers drawn more to the slab than the truffle were often treated to a lick of dripping chocolate, priced by the spoon.
At the 30 Max Brenner restaurants around the world today, diners experience chocolate the way they would experience wine, with a story behind it. The ‘Hug Mug’ conjures snowy day coziness with a ceramic mug of hot chocolate designed to be cradled reverently between the hands. The ‘Suckao’ candle offers a romantic interactive experience with candle-melted chocolate sucked through a straw. For Brenner, an accidental pastry chef and businessman who still harbors dreams of being a novelist, these ideas seem so simple and obvious that he’s stumbled on the best feeling an innovator can have, as he wonders, “How can it be that nobody ever did this before?”
Click here to visit Max Brenner’s website.