Guido Castagna

Atelier del Cioccolato di Guido Castagna was created in 2002 in Giaveno, in the province of Turin. It was originally located in the old family house, but in 2006, it moved to a new setting, where the sales outlet and the chocolate workshop are side-by-side.

Guido Castagna is a young chocolate maker with enormous talent that allows him to bring together innovation and tradition in refined and audacious taste combinations.

His years of experience – both working for himself and in other chocolate businesses – are the foundations for his chocolate excellence. His actual production is hinged on two key elements: Nocciola Piemonte PGI (i.e. the fruit of the Tonda Gentile hazelnut) and the best cacao from around the world. He personally roasts, refines and couches the cocoa, allowing him to ensure top quality and to draw out the best in the raw materials.

The mainstays of his production are dark chocolate – with varying degrees of cocoa –, milk chocolate, gianduia (Piedmont nut chocolate) and dark chocolate made with chopped cocoa beans, but perhaps the highlight is the unequalled gianduia cream. It is also worth mentioning four special types of dark chocolate, each with 76% cocoa and made only with exclusive cocoa from Ecuador, Venezuela, Madagascar and Ghana, respectively.

Guido's creativity can also be seen in his line of pralines, including gianduia, maraschino liqueur, almond brittle and amaretto liqueur truffles, various soft chocolate fillings, spicy chocolates and, finally, the dragees with Nocciola Piemonte PGI, candied orange rind, ginger and cocoa beans. The latter is made using The Slow Food Presidium "Barlovento Cocoa" (Venezuela).

As such, Guido deserves a round of applause, both for his industriousness and for his efforts to spread the culture of chocolate both in Italy and abroad, where many of his products are sold.