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MILAN – From 17 to 21 October at HostMilano, the arena created by Davide Comaschi will debut: cross-contamination, sustainability, creativity, and direct involvement to rethink the future of chocolate.
It’s spelled sCIOCk, and it reads revolution. From 17 to 21 October at HostMilano, chocolate takes center stage with sCIOCk – Cioccolato In Movimento, a one-of-a-kind arena conceived and curated by master chocolatier Davide Comaschi, designed to make this ingredient come alive not only as a product but as a language.
“We wanted to call sCIOCk the arena we devised for Host 2025 to immediately convey —by playing on the association between ‘cioc-colato’ and ‘shock’— the sense of an event breaking away from the usual patterns,” explains the maestro. “For me it wasn’t enough to organize a series of workshops or technical demonstrations: I wanted to create a living space where chocolate is showcased in all its contaminations, able to dialogue with mixology, coffee, technology, and business. In short, a place that represents chocolate as a fluid material in constant transformation.”
An arena aiming to become a platform
Inside the arena, talks, masterclasses, and round tables will alternate, with the participation of pastry chefs, chefs, food designers, and professionals from around the world.
But for Comaschi, the differentiating factor will be the direct involvement of visitors: “Not only will we have many big names, both Italian and international, but also interactive moments where participants will themselves become part of the creation. I want the audience not to be mere spectators, but protagonists: able to touch and, literally, to taste what innovation means in the world of chocolate.”
With its ability to bring together the entire hospitality supply chain, Host Milano is the natural setting for this debut. “Host is the home of all contaminations, the ideal place to show how chocolate can be at the heart of a dialogue that goes beyond pastry. Here knowledge meets flavor, and that was the goal of sCIOCk from the very beginning.”
Behind the decision to launch such an ambitious project are also the new trends shaping the sector. “Today’s consumers are increasingly curious and selective. While the mass market continues to hold the majority share, the premium niche is constantly growing, made up of ‘researchers’ eager to discover new flavors and unusual pairings,” Comaschi points out. “And in this scenario, sustainability is a priority that can no longer be postponed. Cocoa, like coffee, is one of the crops most vulnerable to climate change, and the recent price hikes are a clear sign of this.”
The maestro, however, also sees an opportunity here: “There’s a twofold positive side: consumers will be less and less willing to pay a higher price for chocolate that isn’t high quality, and this will reward those who work seriously. Artisans and small businesses, who have always produced premium chocolates and cannot go below a certain price threshold, will finally see the value of their creations more widely recognized. It’s a moment of challenge, but also of great opportunity.”
For sCIOCk, HostMilano wants to be a springboard. The goal is to turn it into an evolving platform, able to extend beyond the exhibition and become a reference point for training, professional development, and cultural dissemination. “For me sCIOCk is just the beginning,” confides Comaschi.
“HostMilano is the ideal stage to start from, but we are already imagining a journey that will involve schools, events, and creative hubs in Italy and abroad. I want chocolate to become a cultural movement, an international community that unites technique, innovation, and passion.”
With sCIOCk, chocolate thus takes its place among the leading stars of Host 2025, confirming the exhibition as the reference platform for global hospitality and for the cross-contaminations reshaping the future of food.
How to take part? Simply purchase your ticket online now, and take advantage of special prices with the Early Bird option, valid only until 17 September.
