A DREAM JURY TEAM WILL PRESIDE THE WORLD CHOCOLATE MASTERS WORLD FINAL ‘22
Amaury Guichon sided by Kirsten Tibballs, Yusuke Matsushita & Sachi Takagi

13 June 2022, Paris.
The World Chocolate Masters is thrilled to announce the Heads of its international jury for the World Final ‘22. Some of the industry’s most appreciated talents will be at the helm of this team of experts to watch over a fair and transparent course of the competition: Amaury Guichon (USA), Kirsten Tibballs (AU) and the Japanese chefs-duo Yusuke Matsushita & Sachi Takagi will take up is this role. An impressive line-up for the finalists to show their talent to.

AMAURY GUICHON (USA)
HEAD OF THE WCM JURY

 

The World Final ‘22 welcomes Amaury Guichon, the host of Netflix's School of Chocolate as head of the jury. With 9 million followers on his Instagram channel, Amaury Guichon is probably the most watched chocolatier / pastry chef on this planet.

 

His personal vision of creating trompe l’oeils of physical objects and figurative elements completely in chocolate conquered the world. His craftsmanship and skills have become a benchmark for chocolate creativity among many chefs. But also his take on patisserie – rooted in the French gastronomy – has become widely watched. All those elements pointed to Amaury Guichon as a chef with a remarkable and complete vision to lead the jury for this edition of the World Chocolate Masters World Final

 

Amaury is the head chef and co-founder of the Pastry Academy in Las Vegas (USA). After 17 years of having dedicated his life to his passion, he now shares his knowledge with the world and passes on his skills. He is not only a brilliant pastry chef, but also a prominent authority on chocolate sculptures. With nearly twelve million followers on TikTok the world appreciates the beautiful chocolate art he sculpts.

 

The World Chocolate Masters has appointed Amaury Guichon as Head of the Jury for the shared values they share: openness to the world, transparency, neutrality and respect for every individual finalist. His role during the World Final will consist of coaching the jury – representing the 18 participating countries – watching over the fair, neutral and transparent judging of all finalists. Traditionally, the Jury Heads are not allowed to vote or allocate any marks to safeguard their neutral character and role as arbiter in the competition.

KIRSTEN TIBBALLS (AU)
JURY HEAD FOR TASTE

 

Since its start in 2005, the World Chocolate Masters has always given free rein to finalists to express their artistic and culinary talent with chocolate. Both disciplines need to be well presented in the jury evaluation.

 

For this edition’s World Final, Australian pastry chef and TV celebrity Kirsten Tibballs will become responsible for the fair judging of all creations where taste prevails as Head of the jury for Taste. With her many years of expertise in Savour School, and her talent to understand the essence, Kirsten will focus on coordinating the fair and honest judgement of all assignments linked to degustation by the 18-member jury.

 

Kirsten also is one of the prominent female chefs around the world who made her mark on this industry. Featured on MasterChef Australia several times, as well as one of the most followed female pastry chefs on Instagram, Tibballs is regularly referred to as the ‘Queen of Chocolate’ due to her contribution to the chocolate industry.

YUSUKE MATSUSHITA & SACHI TAKAGI (JP)
JURY HEADS FOR ARTISTIC SKILLS

 

Last, but definitely not least, Japanese chefs-duo Yusuke Matsushita and Sachi Takagi will side Guichon and Tibballs as Heads of jury focusing on the artistic skills of the finalists. Their task: watch over the fair judgement by all jury members when it comes to evaluating the artistic skills of the 18 finalists.

 

The World Chocolate Masters has solicited the Japanese chefs-duo for this role, for their incredible talent to create unique shapes and an own visual language. Their unrivalled attention to detail and perseverance of bringing artistry in patisserie and confectionery make them the dream duo to complete the Jury Heads team. It can be witnessed for instance in the products they create for RAU, their pastry shop in Kyoto Japan.

#TMRW_TASTES_TASTES_LOOKS_FEELS_LIKE:
LET THE COUNTDOWN BEGIN

 

Currently, the nomination and selection of the international jury is at full speed. The names of the 18 chefs who will evaluate the creations of all finalists will be announced soon. They each are captains of industry in the respective 18 participating countries and have built their reputation on their professionalism and sense for creativity that make a cut above the rest. With the complete jury line-up taking shape, we’re well on our way to one of the most exciting World Finals in the history of the World Chocolate Masters.

 

It will be a unique opportunity for each of the 18 finalists to meet, exchange know-how with and impress the jury with their concepts, creations and skills.

WCM Bootcamp 2022

 

From April 25 to 26, all 18 finalists will meet for the first time in Barcelona for an all immersive 2-day bootcamp. They’ll receive their briefings for the final, get to join interactive workshops around plant-based patisserie and flavour pairings and see their 3D chocolate designs come to life.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

The World Chocolate Masters World Final ‘22 will be held at Salon Du Chocolat from October 29 to October 31 ‘22. The aim of the competition is to advance creative chocolate artisanship and showcase new talent. Eighteen countries will send their top talent to compete for the prestigious title of World Chocolate Master.

 

The 2022 World Final of the World Chocolate Masters will take place in:
Salon Du Chocolat
Porte de Versailles, PARIS
29 OCT – 31 OCT 2022

 

The event will be livestreamed at:
www.worldchocolatmasters.com

 

Follow the updates also on our digital channels:
www.worldchocolatmasters.com
facebook.com/worldchocolatemasters
instagram.com/worldchocolatemasters

 

Stay tuned for more:
www.worldchocolatemasters.com
www.cacao-barry.com
www.salonduchocolat.fr

 

About Cacao-Barry®

Explorers of cacao flavour excellence and protectors of its diversity since 1842, we share the whole cacaofruit flavour experience, from nature to plate, with farmers and chefs.

A favourite among creative chefs in more than 90 countries, Cacao Barry, rooted in its French pastry heritage, offers a wide variety of fine flavour chocolates which cacao fruits and beans are carefully selected from exceptional plantations in Latin America, Africa and Asia.

Fostering strong stimulating international chef communities is at the heart of Cacao Barry efforts to bring motivating inspirations to chefs, supported by their influential Ambassador network and the 26 Chocolate Academy centres around the world. Cacao Barry is committed to a responsible and sustainable future, with the goal to offer 100% sustainable chocolates by 2025. It already reached the milestone to have 100% sustainably sourced beans in 2020 and is the first chocolate brand to partner with the bee-friendly label for all its almond based products. In 2022, Evocao™ WholeFruit chocolate after receiving the Best Artisan Innovation Award, is also the first chocolate couverture in the world to be Upcycled certified by the Upcycled Food Association, leading the way in sustainable, good for you, the planet and its people chocolate.

Thanks to its Thriving nature commitment, Cacao Barry aims to ensure sustainable growth of the chocolate sector through a movement that includes farmers, civil society, industry, governments, and chocolate lovers supporting the Cocoa Horizon Program.

Cacao Barry empowers all creative chefs, masters and the next generation, to engage fully, to reach their vision: to express their true nature.

 

www.cacao-barry.com

Wednesday, 29 June, 2022