'Chocolate Studio' Owner to Offer Program for College, Public

Ira Dubner, owner and chocolatier of the "The Chocolate Studio" in Norristown, will make a Halloween centerpiece and other delectable confections from chocolate in a demonstration to be offered Wednesday, Oct. 3, at Pennsylvania College of Technology.

Dubner will be assisted by 15 School of Hospitality students who are enrolled this semester in the "Principles of Chocolate Works" course taught by Suzann L. Major, assistant professor of food and hospitality management /culinary arts at Penn College. The students, who are Baking and Pastry Arts majors, will also assist Dubner in making chocolate truffles and candy.

The demonstration, which will run from 1 to 4 p.m., is open to the public and will be held in Room B132 of the Hager Lifelong Education Center on the main campus. Those attending will be able to taste the confections at the end of the program.

Dubner who earned an associate's degree from the Culinary Institute of America, has also worked as a pastry chef for various restaurants and catering firms and has owned and operated his own pastry and catering businesses.

The Chocolate Studio traces its roots to 1981, when Dubner began making fresh cream chocolate truffles for gourmet shops, caterers and hotels in the Delaware Valley as a part-time venture.

Today, The Chocolate Studio has become famous for its artistic collection of hand-crafted chocolate dessert containers and specialty confections.