Pleasure & atonement - PETERS SchokoWelt in Lippstadt

Text: Olaf Adam; Photos: Olaf Adam, PETERS SchokoWelt
This article originally appeared in 0dB - The Magazine of Passion N ° 3

Let it be said once and for all to all work-out maniacs and indulgence contemptors: Chocolate Makes You Happy! This is due to certain ingredients in cocoa, to the physiologically ideal mix of carbohydrates and fat, and to a large extent also to psychology and acquired habits. Either way, if we bite into a piece of chocolate, then the reward center in our brain jubilantly tears open the hormonal locks and we feel great. That's a scientific fact!

SWEET LIFE

So it is not at all surprising that Christian Frochte-Peters is a very cheerful person, because he has dealt with chocolate throughout his life. That inevitably comes about when you are born into the Peters family. Christian's grandfather Franz Peters used to run an ice cream parlor in Lippstadt, which quickly developed into the leading café in the city, while his son-in-law Norbert Frochte-Peters developed the company into an international manufacturer of fine chocolate and praline creations, whose products are now sold in 31 countries.

Christian Frochte-Peters, like father and grandfather also a passionate confectioner, has now fulfilled a personal dream with PETERS SchokoWelt: a museum of its own that celebrates chocolate in all its facets, conveying interesting facts about the origins, raw materials and production of chocolate and at the same time presents the story of the family.

The new building erected for this purpose proudly extends four floors up in front of the Peters GmbH headquarters, so that the terrace on the top floor offers a great view of Lippstadt and the surrounding area. There is already a lot to see on the ground floor. On the one hand, the chocolate shop filled to the brim with tempting food, but above all the coffee bar. As in the entire SchokoWelt, a lovingly individual furnishing style prevails here, a playful variation of the so-called steampunk design. Golden gears and fantasy machines, some with and some without a recognizable function, meet purple walls, opulent velvet furniture and unusual lampshades made from old hats.

With this cheerful ambience, it is not surprising that all the guests at the KaffeeBar are in a good mood. However, this could also be due to the delightfully arranged tartlets that are presented in the showcase at the entrance and served with coffee at the tables. Or the many other delicious things that you can try here in the morning, at noon and in the afternoon.

DELICIOUS MUSEUM

From there, the elevator takes you all the way up, because this is where the tour and tours through the SchokoWelt begin. In the elevator, one encounters another example of the unrestrained creative drive of the makers, because a simple keypad to select the desired floor would have been simply too boring. The ride in the elevator is accompanied by a computer animation on a screen (which, by the way, like numerous other elements of the presentation technology in the exhibition, was installed by the AUDITORIUM). A mischievously looking little boy greets the visitors from a black and white photograph, whom they will encounter more often as the exhibition progresses. It is Christian Frochte-Peters himself at a very, very young age.

When you arrive on the top floor, you can first enjoy the aforementioned view of the area. There is also a small, fully furnished bar up here that is used for special events. In the stairwell on the way down, the story of the Peters family is told in pictures, "Schoko-Intendantin" Sandra Wallbaum adds interesting details during the tours. Like, for example, what "cold Franz" was all about.

The actual museum floors rely on an entertaining mixture of presentation, interaction and demonstration. In the patisserie, you can watch expert hands making pralines and even try the result. Comic animations explain the basic steps in chocolate production, in a scented bar you can put your sense of smell to the test. Elaborate chocolate works of art, made on site by the company's own chocolatiers, recreate old machines and processes.

MULTIMEDIA AND CHOCOLATE FOUNTAIN

In the cinema, which was realized together with the AUDITORIUM, three synchronized projectors present the history of chocolate and the company in a super wide-screen format, one floor below the huge machinery of the three-flow chocolate fountain awaits those with a sweet tooth of all ages. They can put together their own personal taste experience from milk, dark and white chocolate; Opposite, delicious pastries and other delicacies are made in the visible bakery.

During the opening hours you can explore the SchokoWelt yourself at will, or you can join one of the daily guided tours. Groups can also book their own guided tour in advance, and SchokoWelt regularly organizes workshops with a large amount of do-it-yourself. These include special offers for men who have always wanted to turn their favorite cognac into chocolates, or for unforgettable children's birthdays.

One thing is certain: Anyone who carelessly passes the coffee bar and shop on the ground floor at the end of a visit to the SchokoWelt without trying a few of the creations on offer has not read the first sentence of this article or has truly enormous self-control. Or maybe just feasted on the chocolate fountain.