World Chocolate Masters 2015: Winners of the Asian leg revealed

Ever heard of the World Chocolate Masters (WCM)? Well, it’s never too late to know that is where you get to witness pastry chefs create edible art, including our very own brilliant talents from the region. If you’ve yet to guess, we’re talking about a premium international chocolate competition.

Held every two years in Paris since 2005, the challenging finale gathers twenty of the best pastry/ chocolate chefs worldwide. The qualified contestants have to go through a three-day competition that follows a knock out approach. On the last day, only ten finalists will get the coveted chance to take the title home.

This year’s theme, ‘Inspiration from Nature’, requires entrants to incorporate natural ingredients, shapes, colours and scents in their assignments. Innovation is key and this rings true for several reasons. First, you need to be creative with standout ideas. Then, you have to master chocolate making with all of its complex techniques, and chocolate is by far a more difficult art than pastry. But beyond being able to sculpt a stunning artwork of chocolate, you have to whip up with new and advanced methods to actually create a award-winning masterpiece. Hence, in that sense creativity is absolutely mandatory.

While the art of pastry and chocolate making is engraved within the European history, it is still an emerging field in Asia, with the exception of Japan of course. However, that’s not to say there aren’t any talents in Asia. In fact, from the 2015 Asian leg of WCM, the following chefs will represent our region on the international level: chef Hisashi Onobayashi will represent Japan; chef Roger Fok for China; chef Sang Kyun Jeong for South Korea and chef Chia-Feng Tsai for Taiwan.

Meanwhile Japanese and European contestants have the opportunity to work and be coached by top chefs and previously awarded competitors. In this part of the world due to various factors, contestants hardly receive the opportunity to be trained or benefit from acclaimed chefs’ advice so needless to say that is a crucial asset to have in order to win the acclaimed title. Given the situation, the organisers, led by professional chocolate brand Cacao Barry, also prepared a pre-competition workshop in Shanghai this month for all Asian candidates to learn valuable techniques and share experiences with chef Frank Haasnoot – 2011 WCM winner -, and chef Seung Yun Lee (4th place in 2011). It might only be the beginning, but this is where stories begin.

Last but not least, take note that you can also be apart of the prestigious competition and vote for your favourite chocolate showpiece to crown them as the social media award winner.

Craving chocolates now?

Céline Manoukian

Photo credit: WCM