Le Cordon Bleu student sweeps chocolate competition

April 17, 2014, Toronto – Elisa Luz Pinto of Le Cordon Bleu
Culinary Institute in Ottawa swept all categories of the Canadian
Intercollegiate Chocolate Competition, a contest sponsored by Cacao Barry/Callebaut and held
at Humber College’s School of Culinary Management April 12-13.

April 17, 2014, Toronto – Elisa Luz Pinto of Le Cordon Bleu
Culinary Institute in Ottawa swept all categories of the Canadian
Intercollegiate Chocolate Competition, a contest sponsored by Cacao Barry/Callebaut and held
at Humber College’s School of Culinary Management April 12-13.

Four young women competed for chocolate glory in a weekend-long
event that pitted bonbon against bonbon: Luz Pinto, Jessica Cat of London’s
Fanshawe College, Amber Robinson of Humber College,  and Kelsey Lamers of Canadore College in
North Bay. The students showed off their chocolate-making skills by conceiving
and creating spectacular showpieces based on a history of chocolate theme, and
crafted delicate hand-dipped bonbons, moulded bonbons and a plated dessert.

Luz Pinto emerged as overall winner, placing first in all
categories: Best Artistic Showpiece, Best Hand-dipped Bonbon, Best Moulded
Bonbon and Best Plated Dessert. Jessica Cat finished second overall and Kelsey
Lamers took third place.

Lamers was given a special media prize for her conception
and creation of delicacies “most relatable to the average person,” among them a
hand-dipped bonbon mimicking the experience of hot chocolate. 

Elisa Luz Pinto’s first-place showpiece celebrated chocolate
history by tracing its roots from raw cocoa to the present and featured
colourful, murano-glass-like leaves and cocoa beans.

“The use of cocoa may have changed throughout history, but
it has always retain its place of importance to the people of Mesoamerica,” she
pointed out in her recipe book.

Judging the competition were Olivier Tribut, chef instructor
at l’École hôtelière de la Capitale in Quebec City and winner of the World
Chocolate Masters Canadian Selection; Sergio Shidomi, head chocolatier and
pastry chef at the Old Firehall Confectionery in Unionville, Ont. and winner of
the World Chocolate Masters Brazilian Selection; Chris Kwok, corporate
executive pastry chef at La Societe, Toronto and Montreal and runner-up of the
World Chocolate Masters Canadian Selection; Andreas Schwenger, bakery and
pastry arts instructor at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology and
president of the Pastry Chef Guild of Alberta; Charmian Christie, food writer,
recipe developer and cookbook author; and Colleen Cross, associate editor of Bakers Journal.

Philippe Vancayseele, director of Barry Callebaut’s
Chocolate Academy Canada, served as jury president. Royce Li, another Canadian
Chocolate Masters competitor, coordinated the event.      

“This competition is all about lifting up students, giving
them a boost, and elevating the industry at the same time,” said Callebaut’s
Lianne Hubbard.

Jessica Cat’s beautifully sculpted Mayan man resting on a
book, The History of Chocolate, with delicate white chocolate sculpted pages, also
was an impressive sight.

Kelsey Lamers’ tricky taping techniques created the look of
Christopher Columbus’ ship’s hull as judges and spectators held their breath to
watch the tape removed.

Amber Robinson caught the attention of judges and spectators
alike with her innovative fishnet-stocking application techniques used to
colour her feathered serpent, Quetzacoatl, who was said to have been the first
to offer chocolate to humans.

Le Cordon Bleu was named first place college. Pastry chef Hervé
Chabert was in attendance as instructor and coach to Luz Pinto.

The students were given a selection of prizes from industry
sponsors, including mixers from Thermomix.

Vancayseele said he was greatly impressed by the
talent of the competitors and invited them to take a class with him at the
academy, which is located in St-Hyacinth, Que., but slated to move to a new
facility in Montreal this fall.

See photos of the event on Facebook !