Executive Pastry Chef Holger Deh uses a hammer and chisel to meticulously craft a large chocolate sculpture at the Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, with a blurred bar and bartender in the background. — Executive Pastry Chef Holger Deh showcases the artistry of chocolate making at Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur. (All photos courtesy of the hotel)

Finishing lunch and admiring the views from the Park Lounge on the 75th floor at the new Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, I struck up a conversation with the charming gentleman next to me. It transpired he was a retired cocoa trader, staying in the Malaysian capital on business. Bart Verzal has been immersed in the cocoa trade since 1984 and, having finished his meetings early, had naturally gravitated to KL’s newest address to admire the view from this new architectural icon before flying back that night to his home in Switzerland.

The joy of travel for me is not just in discovering a new destination but in never knowing who you might meet. This meeting couldn’t have been more appropriate, as chocolate is the sweet foundation of a guest experience that takes this new five-star hotel to innovative heights. Cacao Mixology and Chocolate combines the passions of beverage manager Lee Wei Lung with the artistry of executive pastry chef Holger Deh in a selection of drinks, delicate bites, and luxurious truffles that pay homage to the cocoa bean, from raw husk to refined confection where the pair’s genuine passion shines through. Many of the ingredients are sourced locally; the cocoa is processed nearby, while the vanilla is produced at the Kairos Vanilla Farm in Penang, where premium vanilla thrives in Malaysia’s tropical climate, thanks to careful cultivation and curing methods.

A split image: On the left, Beverage Manager Wei Lung Lee meticulously garnishes a cocktail atop a large chocolate block; on the right, a close-up of a Cacao White Negroni garnished with a pink flower and artisanal crisp.

Cacao is celebrated at Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur through meticulously made chocolate-themed creations, small-batch distillery spirits, and elegant zero-proof specialties. Up to 75 guests can luxuriate in the calming space, enjoying a commanding bird’s-eye view of the city through double-height, floor-to-ceiling windows. Guided cacao flights with rum, whisky, cognac (or zero-proof selections if you prefer) are accompanied by house-made chocolate, offering insights into chocolate’s enduring appeal.

Bart was happy to shine a light on the cocoa industry after 40 years in the trade. “In Asia, there is still a large number of factories with some 600,000 tons of cocoa bean grinding capacity, but in Malaysia, cocoa bean production has shrivelled to some 20,000 tons of the world’s production of almost four million tons of cocoa beans,” he explained. “The processing industries all import cocoa from Africa and South America these days.”

“The reason farmers no longer grow cocoa is simply that the alternatives (fresh fruit, palm oil, rubber, coffee) have been more remunerative over the past years. With only 700 kilograms of cocoa beans per hectare, you need a lot of hectares to harvest before you get a reasonable income,” he added.

Sadly, Bart had to depart early but would have certainly appreciated the theme of the bar, which serves as a Willy Wonka–like atelier for adults. The centerpiece of Cacao Mixology & Chocolate is a mesmerizing table piled high with cloched glass domes filled with artisanal brittles, pralines, and truffles, an artistic display of velvety seduction. Decadent truffles vie for space with creative confections such as dark chocolate studded with jewel-like emerald pistachios.

At the heart of the display is an enormous 19-kilogram block of house-made 70% cocoa dark chocolate created by chef Holger Deh. The experience begins with the ritualistic chiseling and tasting that initiates the journey.

Even constructing such a monument of chocolate takes skill. Wei Lung explained that it must be chiseled in a precise way to retain its structural integrity, lest it crumble like a sweet Jenga.

A high-angle close-up of a marble table at Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur featuring various artisanal chocolates in glass jars, yellow pralines in a clear bowl, a large block of dark chocolate, and professional pastry tools. — A curated display of artisanal treats at the Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur Chocolate Table, featuring handcrafted pralines and raw cacao blocks.

The play of sweet and savory comes across in the complimentary bar snacks: a trio of addictive treats featuring anchovy, chocolate, and banana. With appetites piqued, guests can turn to the menu that includes plates of air-dried and cured Wagyu beef biltong along with a selection of mature cheeses and a hearty selection of bar bites that assuage hunger between happy hour and dinner. The sweet-toothed will enjoy desserts such as The Cacao Bar—a joyful combination of dark chocolate and smooth hazelnut—and Kelantan 70 per cent dark chocolate, finished with vanilla olive oil and a gentle touch of sea salt, served with lavosh flatbread.

However much you have eaten, there’s always room for chocolate, and it’s difficult to pass the laden table without pausing to purchase a precious truckle of truffles to enjoy in your room: the most elegant iteration of luxe pick-n-mix.

How Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur is Taking Chocolate to New Heights

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