Maison Dubois: The Versailles Chocolate Palace
What does it take to transform more than three metric tons of chocolate into a single work of art? The recent Gourmet World Records certification at Maison Dubois offered the world a remarkable answer.
Their monumental creation, officially titled The Versailles Chocolate Palace, was no ordinary sculpture. Weighing an extraordinary 3,450kg, the piece combined architectural detail with technical discipline on a scale never before attempted in the pastry world.
Maison Dubois
A Record Built Around the Clock
The numbers alone hint at the complexity behind the scenes. The sculpture demanded 89 hours of continuous temperature control, supported by a carefully monitored production schedule totaling 89 hours from first molding to final assembly.
For nearly four days, a dedicated team of chocolatiers worked in shifts while technical officials documented every stage. Industrial refrigeration units, calibrated thermometers, and backup generators ensured that environmental stability never wavered.
Maintaining chocolate at workable condition for that length of time is usually a challenge reserved for laboratories. At Maison Dubois it became an operational art form.
89 Hours That Changed the Rules
Lead chocolatier Claire Dubois described the process as “a marathon of discipline.”
Humidity, ambient room temperature, handling time, and even the warmth of lighting rigs were factored into the framework. Any deviation could have weakened structural integrity or altered the certified weight.
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To prevent this, monitoring logs were updated every five minutes. Redundant cooling systems ran simultaneously. Auditors confirmed calibration at the start and end of each shift. The result was a controlled environment as intricate as the baroque details the sculpture portrayed.
Engineering Meets Artistry
Perhaps most impressive was the way science and creativity were fused into a single vision.
The final structure incorporated dozens of interlocking sections: ornamental gates, grand staircases, delicate filigree windows, and sweeping façade panels—all crafted entirely from gourmet couverture. Despite its massive size, many elements were no thicker than a few millimeters.
Achieving that level of detail at 3,450kg required the same mindset as building a bridge: load-bearing analysis, internal supports, and precise planning of stress points.
Exhibition as Verification
The sculpture was not hidden away until completion. Instead, it was assembled live as part of a three-day public exhibition. Guests could observe measurement procedures, documentation photography, and the final weigh-in overseen by Gourmet World Records officials.
Transparency was essential. Every kilogram was verified. Every hour accounted for.
Redefining Possibility
When the certification was finally awarded, the room erupted in celebration—but the true triumph had already occurred.
The project demonstrated that records in the pastry arts are not only about imagination. They are about process, measurement, and unwavering technical control. In pushing chocolate artistry to unprecedented scale, Maison Dubois has redefined what is possible when ambition is matched with discipline.
The Versailles Chocolate Palace now stands as a milestone for the global gourmet community—a record that will inspire future attempts in craftsmanship, scale, and innovation for years to come.
At Gourmet World Records we look forward to seeing who will dare to follow it.
