To chocolate fanatics and aficionados around the world, the mere mention of the name Jean-Paul Hevin is enough to produce glowing smiles, dazed reactions and a stampede. His signature chocolate brown and cobalt blue chocolate empire has grown from his first shop in Paris' seventh arrondissement to 3 retail outlets in Paris, a tea salon dedicated to all pastries chocolate, a fun line of "ready to crunch" chocolate under the brand Hevin 2, numerous outlets in Japan, and now, the first shop in Hong Kong.

Opened to much fanfare and hoo-ha on 27 February 2008 in Harbour City, the master chocolatier himself was present at the opening of his sleek and contemporary store. Expectations run high for those who have not had the chance to taste Hevin's renowned creations, as a quick glance at his accolades and work experience yields a multitude of first places.

Jean-Paul Hevin honed and perfected his craft as a pastry chef at the Hotel Nikko from 1979 to 1988, and began his award collection in 1979 when he was awarded the gold medal at the Concours International Gastronomique. Many other firsts followed, including winner of the Charles Proust Competition in 1980, winner of the French National Pastry Cup Competition in 1982, another first in the Grand Prix International de la Chocolaterie Competition in 1983, and winner of the Vase de Sevres Competition in 1984.

Awarded the Meilleur Ouvrier de France (France's top craftsman) in 1986, Hevin ventured out on his own two years later and opened his first shop named Le Petit Boule on Avenue de la Motte-Picquet, and the rest, as they say, is history. His chocolate empire now extends to all parts of Japan, a country that cannot seem to get enough of his chocolates, including Tokyo, Hiroshima, Fukuoka and Kokura.

If all these accolades and queues outside his worldwide stores are not enough to convince you, then a taste of Jean-Paul Hevin's chocolates are guaranteed to convert you into his ardent fan. The "secret" to success for Jean-Paul Hevin chocolates is Hevin's dedication to freshness and the high quality of ingredients used. Hevin considers not only the origins of the cocoa beans used, but the flavours as well as the colours. Extreme freshness is the winning factor. Each box of chocolate is prepared each morning and every piece of chocolate never stays on the store counter for more then three days.

His chocolate gem repertoire starts with his renowned extra dark ganaches, the Amnam, dark chocolate infused with lychee and orange blossom, or the dark chocolate pralines, the Carbonado, an old style praline with almonds, hazelnuts, crunchy nougatine fragments and dark chocolate. The Saphir, a praline made with nuts cream and cracking biscuit, is a milk chocolate option. Other must-tries include the Bouchee Miel, an osmosis of 3 honeys and half bitter chocolate, the Bouchee Lait Caramel Croustillante, a milk caramel ganache of crispy rice and milk chocolate, and candied orange and grapefruit peel, coated with bitter sweet chocolate. There are over forty different varieties of fruit, honey, spices, caramels and liquors fillings, plus chewy dense caramels and nougats.

Jean-Paul Hevin creations are about pleasant surprises and expect the unexpected even for simple caramels and nougats.

The soft caramels come in six original flavours, salted butter, chocolate, fig, hazelnut, orange-ginger, or vanilla. Hevin nougats are not just a simple mix of sugar, nuts and honey, those found in his store comes in chestnut or fig and walnut flavours. But wait, there's more.

A few more products to bag home from Jean Paul Hevin are his Pate de fruits (fruit pastes), an assortment of chocolate bars, ranging from a spicy Nyango 68 percent, to the powerful 80 percent cocoa minimum tablette, a mixture of Criollo and Trinitanio beans, and his highly addictive chocolate cakes. Signature cakes include the Safi, a cocoa cake with almonds and bitter orange chocolate mousse, or the Marquise, a chocolate coffee cake flavoured with rum, cognac and mocha.

Last but not least, a Jean-Paul Hevin chocolate macaroon is the cherry on top, the crowning glory, not to be missed.

This particular macaroon has been voted the best macaroon in Paris in the traditional category in 2005, and Parisians are known to take their macaroons seriously.

With that in mind, when lining up for a taste at this newly opened chocolate wonderland, remember not to give that macaroon a miss. Or else regrets are guaranteed.

(HK Edition 03/13/2008 page4)