Mark Tilling crowned UK Chocolate Master 2008

8th October 2008, 10:43am

Pastry chef Mark Tilling has been crowned UK Chocolate Master 2008 in the UK finals of the World Chocolate Masters Competition which took place on Monday (6 October) at the Restaurant Show in Earl’s Court, London.

The winning chef will now go on to represent Great Britain at the world final taking place at the Salon du Chocolate in Paris next October.

Tilling commented on his achievement: "For me chocolate is the most amazing ingredient to work with, it allows for unrivalled creativity due to its malleable qualities.

"As part of my job as pastry chef at the Lainston House Hotel, I enjoy spending a lot of time developing our chocolate dishes, so to be awarded the title of UK Chocolate Master for the second year running is amazing."

Runners up were Oliver Drayton in second place, followed by Sebastian Kobelt in third place.

The theme for this year's competition was Haute Couture and saw chocolate professionals battling it out to style a chocolate masterpiece inspired by the aesthetics of high fashion.

Judge Sheila Eggleston, group food editor from magazine publishing company Dewberry Redpoint, commented on Tilling's exceptional masterpiece: "Mark's Haute Couture showpiece was outstanding. Alot of thought and hard work had gone into it and with his other pieces, it was a first class effort and he well deserved to win."

Other industry experts to judge the competition were Tony Hoyle, Grove Hotel, Thierry Dumouchel, at the Dumouchel, Keith Hurdman, Thorntons, James Petrie, The Fat Duck, Andre Garrett, Galvin at Windows, Lucas Hollweg, Sunday Times Style Magazine, and Sudi Pigot, a cookery consultant. President of the judging panel was Gary Hunter from Westminster Kingsway College.

The competition was organised by Callebaut, Cacao Barry and Carma.

The Restaurant Show kicked off on Monday (6 October) and runs until today (8 October).

Weblink: www.worldchocolatemasters.com 

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