Dubai Chocolate Creator Reveals the Secret Ingredient to His Success
The first-ever International Ice Cream and Gelato Expo (ICEGEX) commenced last Oct. 24, 2025, and safe to say it was a sweet treat!
The World Trade Center was packed with the world’s top frozen dessert brands as chefs, connoisseurs, and innovators gathered to celebrate all things ice cream. From artisanal gelato and cutting-edge flavor innovations to live demos and talks by culinary experts, the trade show was a true feast for the senses.
“It started as an idea, a dream to bring together the best in the frozen dessert industry and to showcase the potential of our local brands and talents to make it big in the industry,” said Aprille C. Robles, Project Director of ICEGEX. “Because of your partnership, we’re not just celebrating frozen treats today. We are celebrating collaboration, entrepreneurship, and the beginning of something sweet and promising. As this event continues to grow, we look forward to building stronger ties with all of you because we truly believe that the frozen dessert industry has huge potential not just locally but globally as well.”
During the opening ceremony, Atty. Marcus Antonius Andaya, Administrator of the Philippine Dairy Authority, delivered a speech on behalf of Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.. After reading the secretary’s message, he expressed his heartfelt gratitude to everyone in the industry for supporting local milk farmers and dairy workers, allowing them to sustain their livelihoods as the sector continues to grow and evolve.
There was much to explore and do on the first day of the trade show, and ICEGEX knew how to open with a bang. As part of the event, we got to witness a creative twist on a Filipino favorite with Chef Myke Tatung’s reimagined Halo-Halo demonstration.
His take on the Halo-Halo gave the classic dessert a modern, monochromatic twist with a bold new flavor. Instead of using traditional milk, he mixed espresso with arnibal (brown sugar syrup) to create a rich coffee base. What made his version stand out was the technique: rather than layering crushed ice and toppings before adding milk, he first filled the glass with milk, ice, and the usual mix-ins — beans, macapuno, and kaong (sugar palm fruit) — then froze it until it reached an almost ice candy-like texture. Once frozen, he poured the espresso-arnibal mixture over it, transforming the Halo-Halo into a refreshing dessert with a distinct coffee kick.
More exciting demonstrations took place throughout the day, including Frozen Fusion by Chef Bam Piencenaves in partnership with Easy Brand PH, and Marcelo’s Microcreamery’s creative spin on Pistachio Kunafa Chocolate ice cream, developed with their chef collaborator, Chef Nouel Catis, the mastermind behind the viral Dubai Chocolate.
Chef Nouel Catis Shares His Secret to Virality
Speaking of Chef Nouel Catis, we also attended his keynote seminar, where the celebrated chocolatier shared insights on how a business or product can evolve into a lasting viral sensation just like his own chocolate creation that captured global attention.
In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, where social media shapes how we discover and consume just about everything, catching people’s attention has become both an art and a science. As Chef Nouel Catis highlighted, it’s not just about creating something beautiful or buzzworthy — it’s about making it last. While going viral on platforms like TikTok might be easier than ever, only a handful of products truly stand out long enough to leave a lasting mark. The real challenge now lies in creating something fresh, exciting, and authentic — something that doesn’t just trend, but stays.
In his talk, the chef shared a special formula, which he had been developing over the past two decades throughout his career in the dessert industry. The “Flavor Architect” began his journey in the United Arab Emirates in 2004, when he became the first Filipino pastry chef at the prestigious Burj Al Arab. In 2016, he was commissioned for a Kuwait-based brand that eventually became a dessert trailblazer. This stint also led him to establish a consulting business for chefs serving the Middle East in 2018, as well as his own bakery, Nifty Chef Bakehouse, the following year.
“This formula took me around 20 years to build,” he shared. “I don’t believe in trade secrets anymore. Times have changed. What I believe in is the power of innovation. If you are being copied by people, you have to celebrate that because that means you’ve done something right, and people are inspired. It means you’re a leader. I want to be forward and futuristic in my goals in the business as well as a person.”
When Chef Nouel Catis created the Dubai Knafeh Chocolate with FIX Dessert Chocolatier, he wasn’t just making another confection — he was crafting a moment. Inspired by the beloved Middle Eastern dessert knafeh, this thick bar of chocolate filled with velvety pistachio cream quickly became a viral sensation, captivating dessert lovers and content creators alike.
Launched in 2021, it has since evolved from a social media craze into a global phenomenon, grossing over 22 million USD in the first three months of 2025 alone, which is equivalent to more than 1.2 million bars sold! It’s the kind of success that many brands dream of, but few achieve: a product that continues to resonate long after the initial hype.
And Chef Nouel isn’t stopping there. He revealed plans to open new stores in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Europe, bringing his brand of edible artistry to more cities around the world.
But what’s the secret behind creating a treat that breaks the internet and still stands the test of time? According to Chef Nouel, it’s all about mastering the “Virality Sustainability Balance,” a formula that blends four essential ingredients: branding, quality, innovation, and social media.
The pastry chef then broke down each category, starting with branding, which he described as the appeal of a product or business. He emphasized that one must strive to be “at the top of mind” of consumers when it comes to a particular product.
Quality, he said, pertains to taste. Chef Nouel noted that many viral food items often underwhelm consumers once they’ve actually tried them. “The taste doesn’t match the hype,” he said, pointing out how easily a product can fade along with the buzz if it fails to deliver on flavor. For him, it’s crucial to create something that tastes as good as it looks.
He also underscored the importance of marketing and visibility for any brand or product, especially through social media. “You have to let people know you exist and are here to stay,” he explained, stressing that consistency and presence are key to building lasting recognition.
Lastly, innovation plays an equally vital role. This includes using technology like Artificial Intelligence (AI) to make processes more efficient and creative. During his collaboration with German appliance brand Miele, Chef Nouel revealed that he used AI to create visuals for his dessert designs. However, he cautioned creators to use it mindfully, for the more a process becomes automated, the more it risks “losing the human touch,” making it “no longer artisanal.”
“It’s really how you use technology to your advantage,” he added. “But don’t let it take advantage of you. The more details you share, the more it takes the power from you, and you become dependent. So be careful of it.”
The chef then shared some of the ways he was able to sustain the brand through collaborations like his latest work with Marcelo’s Microcreamery for the iconic Dubai Chocolate turned ice cream — Pistachio Kunafa Chocolate and The Matcha Tokyo for a collection of drinks and pastries, including the Matcha Dubai Chocolate Latte and the Dubai Chocolate Cookie with Matcha Soft Serve.
In closing his talk, Chef Nouel reflected on the power of the people behind every viral success. While chefs and entrepreneurs may create the product, he emphasized that it’s the consumers who bring it to life, underscoring the importance of staying open to feedback, opinions, and suggestions.
As a closing remark, he said, “At the end of the day, no matter how innovative the recipe, how striking the packaging, how smart your technology, or how clever the marketing, it is always the consumer who decides. They are the real force behind virality: sharing, reshaping, and elevating a product until it becomes more than just something to eat, but a story worth passing on. We may light the spark, but it is the consumer who carries the flame.”
To learn more about ICEGEX and its future trade events, follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
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