Since its inception in 2017, Callebaut Patissier of the Year has been a platform dedicated to challenging the chocolate creativities of Indian chefs, artisans, and chocolate professionals.
The competition was open to hotel and stand-alone patisserie chefs with at least 3 years of experience in pastry kitchens. Candidates had to submit their portfolios and CVs, based on which they were shortlisted to compete in the qualifying events.
The qualifier challenged the chefs to craft their signatures across bakery & pastry, confectionery, and showpiece assignments. The three qualifying rounds were scheduled in Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru. Two winners from each location will now compete in the finale round and battle it out to be named Callebaut Pâtissier of the Year 2024.
The regional qualifying rounds of CPY 2024 were held in Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru through the month of February.
The 2-day grand finale will be held in Mumbai in May 2024. The finale will be challenged to craft great tasting, signature dishes that reflect their originality across bakery, pastry, confectionery, and showpiece categories to an esteemed jury.
The jury panel will include Chef Minette Smith, Global Creative Lead Callebaut, Chef Romain Renard, Regional Head Chocolate Academies Centers – MENA and Chef Arvind Prasad, Founder & Executive Pastry Chef at Whitecaps International School of Pastry, and Indian ambassador for Callebaut Chocolates, alongside with myself.
Participants’ experience:
Yash Chhabria, Chocolate and Pastry Cook and Co-founder of Cacaobleu Haute Chocolaterie, a luxury chocolate and pastry brand in Mumbai, “I am grateful for the opportunity to have competed in the qualifiers of Callebaut Pâtissier of the Year. For the competition, I created a raspberry and pistachio tart, gently spiced with black pepper. We also had to make a bonbon composed of caramelized saffron ganache and crusty pistachio gianduja. The chocolate showpiece that hosted the bonbons displayed a chocolate flower as a base for the bonbons and chocolate embellishments made using a transfer sheet. The competition was a truly enriching experience, and I am looking forward to the finale.”
Chef Nilesh Dewulkar, Pastry Chef of Sofitel BKC, said, “I created a tender coconut and jackfruit tart which holds a special significance for me as it is closely tied to my native Konkan. In my childhood, my mother often prepared desserts infused with jackfruit or coconut, hence inspiring me to explore this combination further. For the chocolate element, I opted for the distinctive flavours of lemongrass and tandoori masala chai. Given the widespread love for tea across India, I decided to experiment with tandoori chai and lemongrass to elevate the flavour profile. I am grateful to Callebaut India for providing me with this opportunity to showcase my culinary creativity. My inspiration behind my creation was to craft my own signature dessert.”
Chef Anshul Grover, Pastry Chef at India Habitat Centre, “I have been a loyal user of Callebaut chocolates for quite some time now, and I thoroughly enjoy working with them. Recently, I purchased some samples of their chocolates, including Callebaut Gold, and I absolutely fell in love with it. Inspired by my passion for mountains, despite being from Delhi, I chose the theme of mountains for my qualifer creations. My showpiece depicted a mountainous landscape, complete with a sunflower atop a hillstone. The concept was to highlight the various layers of chocolates within my tart, incorporating dark, milk, and Callebaut Gold varieties. I meticulously composed four layers for this creation. The first layer consisted of an almond and praline tart base. The second layer featured a delightful combination of raspberry and chocolate. As I have a penchant for pungent or citrusy desserts, I opted to serve chocolates filled with raspberry ganache in a mould, accompanied by gel. After demoulding, I delicately sprayed them with red colour to resemble raspberries.”
Chef Millan Shoran, Chef de Partie at JW Marriott Aerocity, “For the qualifying round, I presented a pecan caramel tart comprising a layer of orange sweet sable, almond crème, toasted pecan caramel, and salted caramel ganache. I also crafted a chocolate showpiece called the “Callebaut Box.” The concept behind this creation was to symbolize the importance of Callebaut chocolate to pastry chefs like myself – akin to how we safeguard our most precious possessions in a box. I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to showcase my talent on such a prestigious platform, and I eagerly anticipate the next phase of the competition.”
Chef Sandeep Sharma, Commis Chef at JW Marriott Kolkata, said, “The CPY platform provided me with an opportunity to enhance my pastry skills and showcase what I have learned. I presented three elements in the competition. My first creation was the Darjeeling teapot bonbons, which represent the Himalayas, the breath of all travellers, and the deep green valleys surrounding them. Darjeeling is where the most beloved tea is born, and I crafted the bonbons with a layer of Darjeeling tea ganache, cashews, blueberry confit, and caramel. The second element was the Sunderban honey tart, depicting the great treasures of nature. I created a dessert that captures the pleasure of real honey with hazelnut and lime. Lastly, the tree in my presentation represents my roots and my home. In Darjeeling, amidst the tea gardens, one can find many trees, and this is what I aimed to depict.”
Chef Krishanu Dey, Chef de Partie at Ritz Carlton Bangalore, “I have a passion for incorporating local flavours into my culinary creations. My signature tart, inspired by the flavours of Karnataka, features a unique blend of banana and passion fruit from Kodagu, blending French and local Indian influences seamlessly. For my bonbon sensation, I crafted a delectable combination of Coorg coffee and coconut praline, capturing the essence of Karnataka while infusing a variety of textures and flavours. Drawing inspiration from chocolate, I decided to showcase the harmony between nature and animals by sculpting a cocoa tree. Participating in the competition was an exceptional experience, and I was impressed by the top-notch quality of equipment and ingredients provided.”
