Quebec City chef wins Canada’s World Chocolate Masters

Jan. 22, 2013, Toronto – Olivier Tribut, chef instructor at l’École
hôtelière de la Capitale in Quebec City, won the title of
2013 Canadian Chocolate Master at the Canadian National Selection
Competition for the World Chocolate Masters.

Jan. 22, 2013, Toronto – Olivier Tribut, chef instructor at l’École hôtelière de la Capitale in Quebec City, won the title of 2013 Canadian Chocolate Master at the Canadian National Selection Competition for the World Chocolate Masters, held Sunday, Jan. 20 at Humber College’s Canadian Centre of Culinary Arts & Science in Toronto. Tribut will represent Canada at the fifth edition of the World Chocolate Masters in Paris in November 2013.

The winning artistic showpiece by Olivier Tribut. Photo courtesy Barry Callebaut.

“This event represents the pinnacle of chocolate expertise in Canada,” said Philippe Vancayseele, director, Chocolate Academy center Canada and president of the jury selection team. “Olivier Tribut impressed the judges with his exceptional chocolate skills, including his artistry, flavours, texture and adherence to the event theme, ‘The Architecture of Taste.’ His entries gave a whole new dimension to the world of chocolate gastronomy.”
 
Tribut won a highly-competitive, nine-hour, mouth-watering contest against six leading confectionery and pastry experts from across Canada. The event was judged by eight well-known professionals from the pastry and chocolate industry  who judged each competitor through a variety of criteria. The competitors demonstrated their chocolate skills in front of a packed auditorium of chefs, chocolate enthusiasts and spectators.

Congratulations to the other winners:

• Second place: Chris Kwok, Trump International Hotel & Tower, Toronto
• Third place: Michael Cotard, Cotard Chocolatier, Laval
• Best Moulded Bonbon: Sandra Abballe, Dolcini by Joseph, West Finch Bakery, Toronto/Kleinberg
• Best Classic Dessert Revisited "Tarte au Sucre" – Chris Kwok
• Best Gastronomic Chocolate Dessert: Olivier Tribut
• Best Chocolate Layered Cake: Michael Cotard
• Best Artistic Showpiece: Olivier Tribut

Olivier competed in the Canadian World Chocolate Masters selection in 2007 and 2009. He received his education from Lycee Quercy Perigord – Cap Patissier, Lycee Savoie Leman – BEP: Cap Cuisinier, BTH Cuisine – Lycee Savoie Leman. His work experience includes l’École hôtelière de la Capitale, Château Bonne Entente, La Chocolatière, Les Sequoias, Le Meridien Lyon Part-Dieu, and Le Parc des Eaux Vives.
 
Contestants were required to create one artistic chocolate showpiece, one moulded praline, one pastry, and, one chocolate dessert. This year, for a Canadian culinary twist, competitors were required to reinvent a Classic Canadian Recipe, ‘Tarte au Sucre’.” The theme of this year’s one-day competition, both nationally and internationally, was The Architecture of Taste. In short, the contestants needed to create a brand new architecture of taste, texture and experience, in which chocolate played a fundamental role.

"This was a tough competition,” says Vancayseele. “It was stunning to see Canada’s leading culinary experts demonstrate their skill and creativity using chocolate. The crowd was captivated by the sights, sounds and aromas of the competition.

Organized by Cacao Barry, Callebaut and Carma, the World Chocolate Masters is an international competition solely dedicated to the art of chocolate. The contest is open to the most talented chocolate professionals in the world. Eighteen countries around the world will host competitions this year, with winners representing their country at the grand international final in Paris November 2013.
 
Compliments go to all of the competitors who trained for months to compete for this prestigious international honour:
 

• Olivier Tribut, chef instructor at l’École hôtelière de la Capitale, Quebec City (first place
• Chris Kwok – Trump International Hotel & Tower, Toronto (second place)
• Michael Cotard – Cotard Chocolatier, Laval (third place)
• Sandra Abballe – Dolcini by Joseph, West Finch Bakery, Toronto/Kleinberg
• Ruth Bleijerveld – Niagara College, chef instructor, Niagara on the Lake
• Royce Li – The Cake Boutique, Apricot Tree, Toronto
• Dimuthu Perera – Casino Rama, Orillia

 
2013 World Chocolate Masters Canadian Selection Jury Members:

• Philippe Vancayseele, Director, Chocolate Academy center Canada (president)
• Tim Wasylko, Executive Chef to the Prime Minister of Canada (honorary judge)
• Celine Plano, Technical Advisor, Barry Callebaut, Chocolate Academy center of Chicago
• Julian Rose, Master Chocolatier, Moonstruck Chocolate
• Roland DelMonte, Meilleur Ouvrier de France Glacier, 1994, Pastry Chef, Restaurant Europea
• Laurent Pages, Master Chocolatier and Pastry Chef, Chocolate Ambassador’s Club Member
• Hassan Hassan, World Chocolate Masters – Champion Lebanon, 1995
• Jean Pierre Challet, Cacao Barry Ambassador Mycryo, Guest Teacher Barry Callebaut Chocolate Academy center Canada

The Cacao Barry + Callebaut Canadian Intercollegiate Chocolate Competition will take place on April 13 and 14, 2013 at Humber College, Canadian Centre for Culinary Arts & Science. The competition will include 12 colleges from across Canada including British Columbia, Quebec and Ontario. Visit the Bakers Journal Facebook page for more photos.