Jana Katancik Creates a Magical Experience in the Chocolate Shop

Koalas in Japan
Fond of fondant, I am. And of Roald Dahl’s books. If you remember the first lines, you can see how the stories of Charlie Bucket’s character and Gstaad chocolate shop owner, Jana, melt together into:

“On her way from school to gymnastics classes, little Jana had to walk right past a chocolate shop. And every time she went by, she would begin to walk very, very slowly and look through the shop window.
Oh, how she loved these chocolate Koala Bears! And oh, how she wished she could go inside the chocolate shop and buy some!”

And so she did! “It was the big highlight of my day”, Jana laughs, recalling how her family moved to Japan when she was 5. In Japan, lots of playful shapes and fun packaging make chocolate even more pure magic for children. Fortunately, she could enjoy it then, having outgrown the allergies that plagued her baby years. Little chocolate-loving Jana could hardly have guessed that she’d one day have her own chocolate wonderland.

Turning Tiny Tasters into Connaisseurs
Today, Jana loves to spill over her love and excitement for chocolate to every child who enters the shop. She invites them to explore, letting them choose toppings for their hot chocolate and shape their own experiences. “It is wonderful to empower kids in their food choices” – Jana loves this part about sparking their curiosity and encouraging them to be adventurous”. In Jana’s shop, children are spoken to like adults. There isn’t a vast range of products specifically for kids, but Jana is creating new playful delights that also appeal to adults. “It is amusing watching their reactions when they try new flavours,” she adds with a smile.

Nutty Nutty, Chubby Hubby
Jana’s handmade products names perfectly capture the joyful sounds of munching on these irresistible treats. Some truffles and pralines invite a different kind of journey, revealing the chocolate’s origins: Bolivia and Madagascar … making your palate travel. Each blend is a secret recipe, mixed with local ingredients only the valley can bring – organic mountain honey, summer double cream from Alpine pastures, free-range eggs, to name a few. Jana sources locally whenever possible.

“I’d Always Pick a Fresh Mountain Strawberry Over a Chocolate Tart.” “Nowhere in the world – not even in London or Paris – can you find products of this quality,” Jana assures me. The big cities may attract refined palates, but they cannot offer Gstaad’s fresh milk, eggs and honey with the same Alpine purity. This freshness is a luxury, as is the time put into the making. Every praline is made by hand, as are the bread, sandwich fillings, and even the sauces. Time is taken to slice the salmon just so, craft the puff pastry for quiches, and tie each ribbon on every package with care. “It’s a luxury to work this way, and it’s a luxury to shop and eat this way”, she says brightly. Jana and her whole staff are very passionate about the work they do. “The energy of handmade products is entirely different!”

Nothing Wonky about this Chocolate Shop!
An Italian gelato maestro visits Gstaad regularly to craft ice cream especially for Jana’s shop – a connection dating back to her days working in fashion in Milan. Jana’s path was unexpected, leading from economics at Cambridge to luxury fashion in Italy before finally settling into the luxury world of chocolate, where she is running the very same kind of high-end business, passionate about merchandising. “There is a lot of fashion in food”, Jana smiles. Super creative as she is, she is constantly developing new products with her team to have something special for Christmas. To Jana, Gstaad is wonderland, and she loves being part of it. Her Chocolate Shop, founded in 2022, took over the space of Stefan Romang’s iconic boutique. When he closed his doors, Jana thought it a terrible loss. So she stepped in to keep the magic alive. It was harder than a startup; you had to keep in mind the clients’ wishes and demands. “You have to adapt to Gstaad”, Jana says, all while she made it into her own special chocolate shop. She is not bringing the regular Swiss chocolates. Jana curates a selection that respects her cosmopolitan clientele, mixing in flavours that nod to London, France, and Japan – places she has called home. People like to recognise things and come back to places. She offers an experience more than a product, a taste of international nostalgia. The regularity is in the clientele, and that makes it really worth it! Is Jana planning on opening new locations? “Never say Never”, she imagines, “but Gstaad is definitely the fairytale!”

A Chocolate a Day keeps the Doctor …
On his toes, I’d say. And the same for you. Though you could still go for the traditional apple, may I suggest the one wrapped in Jana’s marvellous filo pastry? Today, we crave healthier products. Chocolate, fortunately, is gluten-free. Jana’s team also bakes nourishing banana bread and cuts down on sugar whenever possible. Dark chocolate sidesteps the need for milk, and a 100 % dark is practically a health food – it’s high in protein, Jana assures me. And she walks her talk, indulging in a small treat every day.

When I walk out of the shop, my taste buds get a chance to play with the texture and complex aromas of these beautiful chocolates. Mmmmm … that’s Love at First Bite!

GISELA VAN BULCK