Ernst Knam is one of Italy’s most celebrated and innovative pastry chefs, known as the ‘King of Chocolate’. German by birth and Milanese by adoption, he trained under Gualtiero Marchesi before opening his own pastry shop in Milan, and has become a beloved television personality whose style blends German precision with Italian creativity.
A world champion pastry maker and chocolatier, Knam has brought his bold, technically brilliant creations to a wide audience through books and hit television shows.
TL;DR
- German-born pastry chef, long based in Milan
- Known as the ‘King of Chocolate’
- Worked as pastry chef for Gualtiero Marchesi
- Opened Pasticceria Ernst Knam in Milan in 1992
- A judge on Bake Off Italia and star of Il Re del Cioccolato
Ernst Knam key facts
| Born | 1963, Germany |
| Based in | Milan, Italy |
| Known for | The ‘King of Chocolate’ |
| Shop | Pasticceria Ernst Knam, Milan (1992) |
| TV | Bake Off Italia; Il Re del Cioccolato |
From Germany to Milan
Ernst Knam, born in Germany in 1963, became Milanese by adoption. In 1989 he joined the great Gualtiero Marchesi in Milan as chef patissier, working in one of the most important kitchens in Italy, before opening his own pastry shop, Pasticceria Ernst Knam, in Milan’s Porta Vittoria district in 1992.
The King of Chocolate
Knam is one of Italy’s most celebrated and innovative pastry chefs, widely known as the ‘King of Chocolate’. His style blends German precision with Italian creativity, and his chocolate work in particular has earned international acclaim, including gold at the International Chocolate Awards and the title of World Champion of Gelato in 2012.
Television fame
Knam has become a beloved television personality through programmes such as Il Re del Cioccolato (The King of Chocolate) and, from 2013, as a judge on Bake Off Italia. His warm but exacting on-screen presence has made him one of the most recognisable pastry chefs in the country and brought fine patisserie to a broad audience.
Signature style
Knam’s style unites the rigour and precision of his German training with the flair and imagination of Italian pastry. He is bold and inventive, especially with chocolate, yet always technically impeccable. It is a distinctive, personal approach that has made him both a respected craftsman and a popular ambassador for Italian sweets.
Ernst Knam in context
Knam is one of Italy’s most famous pastry chefs featured on Pickup Table 4, alongside the master Iginio Massari, and once worked for Gualtiero Marchesi.
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Ernst Knam FAQ
Who is Ernst Knam?
A German-born, Milan-based pastry chef known as the ‘King of Chocolate’.
Where is his pastry shop?
In the Porta Vittoria district of Milan, opened in 1992.
Who did he work for?
Gualtiero Marchesi, as his chef patissier.
Is he on television?
Yes – Il Re del Cioccolato and as a judge on Bake Off Italia.
What is his style?
German precision combined with Italian creativity, especially in chocolate.
