Learn about the past, present and future of the Chicago candy industry and the art and science of candy making in this lively panel discussion. <br/><br/>Award-winning documentary filmmaker Michael Lahey will show clips and discuss the making of his documentary Shelf Life: The Story of Lanzi Candy, which recently aired on WTTW, Ch. 11. The film explores his Italian immigrant grandfather Elmo Lanzi’s 60 years of candy making, how Chicago became the “Candy Capital of the World” and the quest of a local entrepreneur to bring back Lanzi Candy. <br/><br/>Chef Alain Roby, a certified Master Chef of Pastry and Sugar Artistry, will discuss the art and science of chocolate making and his journey to owning and operating All Chocolate Kitchen in Geneva, Illinois. He’ll explain the process of constructing his Guinness World Record-winning candy creations – including the world’s tallest chocolate sculpture and the world’s longest candy cane. <br/><br
Updated 12/17/2020 8:34 AM
A longtime Northwest suburban school board member will be featured in a documentary airing Thursday night on WTTW about a Chicago candy company and the rich history of the city s candy industry.
Arlen Gould, an Arlington Heights resident who has served on the Wheeling Township Elementary District 21 school board since 1993, was among those interviewed for the documentary Shelf Life: The Story of Lanzi Candy. It airs at 8 p.m. on WTTW (Channel 11), with rebroadcasts at 5:30 a.m. Friday on WTTW Prime and 12:30 a.m. Saturday on WTTW.
The film, directed by Michael Lahey, tracks the history of the confectionery until its eventual demise. Gould and business partner Larry Zaslavsky purchased Lanzi Candy Co. from founder Elmo Lanzi in 1972.