Ritz-Carlton Philadelphia Introduces Hot Chocolate Sommelier

PHILADELPHIA— The Ritz-Carlton Philadelphia has appointed Hot Chocolate Sommelier Caesar Bradley to serve variations of the beverage in the hotel’s Rotunda beginning Nov. 1 and continuing through the holiday season. Bradley will offer insights into the history of chocolate and advice on pairing types of chocolate with marshmallows and whipped creams. He will be available on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., serving several different types of hot chocolate, from Hershey’s to Valrhona, dark to white, along with a selection of flavored homemade whipped creams, from hazelnut to vanilla. Pastry chef Sebastien Thieffine will assist in the hot chocolate program. The pastry kitchen has created marshmallows in many flavors including chocolate, berry and lavendar-citrus, as well as garnishes including chocolate shavings and toasted nuts. Hot chocolate specialties include Gianduja, a French concoction of milk chocolate with toasted almonds and hazelnuts, and the Liquid S’more, which is hot chocolate with extra marshmallows on top served in a graham cracker-rimmed mug with traditional graham garnish.