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British-born Damian Allsop is an internationally recognized figure with close to forty years of experience in pastry and fine chocolate. Classically French-trained under Robert Mey in London, Allsop moved to Paris to stage at Joel Robuchon’s Jamin where he worked alongside none other than Gordon Ramsey. When Ramsey opened The Aubergine in London, he asked Damian to be his Pastry Chef. At Aubergine, he learned how to deal with the most exacting standards of a Michelin-starred establishment but he was yearning for something more.
In search of that elusive element, he left for Spain where he met Joan and Josep Roca and became the first Pastry Chef of the world-renowned restaurant El Celler de Can Roca in Girona. Here Allsop found what he was looking for, a deeper connection to food and culture inspired by the ingredients themselves. He also became a mentor to Jordi, the third and youngest Roca brother, who has gone on to become one of the world’s most celebrated pastry chefs. This relationship led to an invitation to open Casa Cacao, a boutique hotel and bean-to-bar experience. Allsop was charged with creating and overseeing the entire chocolate facility. To learn more about Damian and the Rocas, check out Netflix’s Chef’s Table, Volume 4: Pastry
Allsop’s early interest in the chocolate revolution unfolding in the 1980s led him to pioneer an innovative way of working with a new style of chocolate. He was particularly inspired by the Italian chocolate maker Amedei and began developing water-based ganaches that better celebrated the complex chocolate that was now available. “Adding cream,” he said, “would be an insult to it.” Today, pastry students around the world learn to make water-based ganaches as standard practice.
At the moment, Allsop is working as a consultant and is setting up a new bean-to-bar business. He is also writing his first book about how to taste and how to make chocolate from the bean.
Allsop is truly a chocolate maker’s chocolate maker.