Studies show that people who regularly eat chocolate are much more creative than those who do not. That’s what Wittmore Hotel has done, joining forces with LOT Roasters, professional cocoa makers: create a perfect proposal for their guests where chocolate is the protagonist.
The Wittmore Hotel is located in the Ciutat Vella district of Barcelona and stands as a 21st-century cultural lounge. It is a space that constantly seeks the creative stimulation of its guests. In addition to the presence of three different chocolate products in the rooms, there is a new dessert designed by Cristian Larrosa, co-founder of LOT Roasters together with Úrsula Pérez, as part of the gastronomic proposal of the Contraban restaurant.
Offers an enclave in which to be inspired by the city’s new wave talent. With the personality of a speakeasy, the soul of the Catalan artistic avant-garde and the staging of a 21st century cultural salon. It is a hotel marked by subtle elegance and open-mindedness.
An experience linked to serendipity right inside the hotel
Contraban is the hotel’s restaurant under the guidance of chef Alain Guiard, and the rooftop terrace, with landscaping typical of the local riverbanks. All around is a swimming pool, completing a hotel that understands luxury as something intangible and ephemeral, linked to serendipity.
Chef Alain Guiard of the Contraband restaurant
A chocolate native to the Amazon and the Andes of Peru
On the other hand, the company LOT Roasters was born as an idea in 2015 in Peru, although it finally took place in Barcelona in 2019. Its founders and owners, Cristian Larrosa and Úrsula Pérez, make “bean to bar” chocolates,which consists of the artisan looking for a cocoa profile of origin, often of fine aroma or select, to make a bar recipe that is special and surprises through the 5 senses.
LOT Roasters chocolate board
Dark is the new sweet
Usually, the process begins with the selection of the already fermented and dried beans, continues with the roasting, the hulling corked, and finally the tempering of the tablet, dresulting in 70% organic, fairtrade and veggie products such as 100% natural cocoa powder, cocoa butter, cocoa pulp, nibs and cocoa infusion. As well as 3 types of tablets with different origins from Peru: the Amazon jungle, the desert and the famous Andes. They have also recently added cocoa pralines, peanuts, toffee, maras salt, nougat, salt peanuts and a very special one, palo santo. This is an environmentally friendly product, which does not generate waste and has ancestral cultivation techniques.
LOAT Roasters Cocoa Bean
LOT Roasters is located in a former textile shop in Barcelona where, as well as selling their chocolates, they serve speciality coffee.
Following the same process, LOT Roasters has developed three products especially for the Wittmore Hotel. First of all, a 10-gram uncovering tablet that guests will find on their beds at night. It is made of chocolate with citrus notes and tells the story of the “bean to bar”;
Exotic chocolate tasting
In the minibars of all the rooms you will find boxes of 30 grams of 70% chuncho chocolate presented in bars, while for special attentions you will have the bombon, made with peanut butter, maras salt and toffee, which comes in a personalised box as a unique piece. What’s more, it is not only a gastronomic experience, but also a moment to be present and share in society or, in private.
LOT Roasters has produced 3 chocolate products for Wittmore: a chocolate bar with citrus notes, a 30g box of 70% chuncho chocolate in the minibars, and the ‘bonbon’ made from peanut butter, maras salt and toffee, which comes in a customised box as a unique piece.
In addition, Cristian Larrosa, co-founder of LOT Roasters together with Úrsula Pérez, has created a dessert that will remain on the menu of the hotel restaurant Contraban.
This consists of a thin cake with chocolate ganache, semi whipped cream, Japanese electric pepper and coffee chocolate which will be served together with a cocoa infusion made on the spot in front of the customer. All of this is made with chuncho cocoa: the cake and the ganache are made from the beans, while the shells are used to make this very special infusion;
Example of the Contraban restaurant plating
The creativity associated with the effect of chocolate on our body, comes in addition to Contraban’s usual gastronomic proposal, whose concept revolves around the creative process and the emotions that arise during it, such as “impatience” represented by a selection of quick-to-serve and eat dishes; “freedom”, with dishes that can be eaten at any time; or “frustration”, with recipes that, in order to be enjoyed, require the intervention of the waiter to break the “frustration” represented by inedible obstacles.
Wittmore has twenty-two rooms overlooking the hotel’s unique inner courtyard and beautiful vertical garden.
The Wittmore Hotel is located at Carrer de Riudarenes, 7 in Barcelona.
LOT Roasters is located at carrer de Bailèn, 43, in Barcelona.
