Beyond Chocolate, the book that explores the versatility of cacao in desserts, savory dishes, and beverages / Review

With the support of the chocolate company Altinmarka, chefs Diego Prado and Esther Merino present one of the most experimental books of 2025: Beyond Chocolate: A Multi-sensory Gastronomy Experience.

The book, available in English at Books For Chefs, showcases the enormous versatility of cacao, transforming it into a key ingredient in savory dishes, desserts, and beverages.

Discover Beyond Chocolate

Recipes distributed in Cacaonly, Origin, and Functional

Throughout its more than 200 pages, you will find more than 40 complete creations elaborated exclusively for the multi-sensory gastronomic experiences that Altinmarka organized earlier this year in Istanbul, designed to showcase cacao in its most unexpected and inspiring forms.

And not only that, these surprising recipes are presented in three sections: Cacaonly, which explores the complete use of the cacao fruit (nibs, husk, pulp, mucilage, and leaves); Origin, which showcases Altinmarka’s range of chocolates from different origins (Ghana, Ecuador, Colombia, Madagascar, Venezuela, and Tanzania); and Functional, which includes their chocolates with nutritional properties.

The beverages, designed by Esther Merino and twin brothers Onurcan and Yiğitcan Gençer, highlight cacao in liquid form: ferments and kombuchas made from mucilage, husk, and nibs; delicate kefirs infused with fruit and cacao byproducts; and inventive cocktails such as the Spicy Cacaogarita with cacao pulp sriracha, the Ghana Bean Negroni with cacao butter, and the Cryo Kakao Kahve, a reimagined espresso martini with boza foam.

In its repertoire of savory dishes, Beyond Chocolate surprises with offerings such as crisp lettuce hearts dressed with mucilage emulsion, cacao brioche with smoked salmon in its shell and a cacao teriyaki glaze, octopus served over husk-smoked potato purée, beef short ribs glazed in Venezuelan chocolate mole, foie gras combined with Ghanaian white chocolate, and daring explorations with ants and crickets paired with chocolate.

Cacao-only sorbets, origin chocolate waterfalls, nitrogen-frozen functional foams, and tasting walls of functional chocolates are some of the desserts and tastings included in the book.

Stellar Collaborations

Chefs Diego and Esther also feature stellar collaborations from the likes of Francisco Migoya, David Gil, Lilian Bonnefoi, Philippe Bertrand, and Emre Sen to showcase extraordinary gastronomic creativity, always with cacao and chocolate as the common thread. Janice Wong even has her own chapter, showcasing her Edible Art creations and chocolates.

More about the authors

Of Chilean descent, Diego Prado has spent years specializing in research and development departments at establishments such as Boragó, Noma, BCulinaryLab, and most recently, Alchemist.

Esther Merino trained in avant-garde culinary techniques at the Basque Culinary Center and then specialized in the world of service and mixology, bringing a unique approach to restaurants like Noma and Alchemist.

Together, they currently form a unique creative team, advising and developing ideas and concepts worldwide.

Discover Beyond Chocolate