Laura Lachowecki of the Woodstock Club, Rocio Varela of The Fort Worth Club and Jordan Weston Snider of the Fairmont Grand Del Mar in San Diego will vie for contest awards totaling over $16,000 in the annual competition on March 5, as part of the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York. The theme of this year’s competition is “Modern Masters Come to Chocolate.”
Laura Lachowecki of the Woodstock Club in Indianapolis, Ind., Rocio Varela of The Fort Worth (Texas) Club and Jordan Weston Snider of the Fairmont Grand Del Mar resort in San Diego are among the “rising stars of the pastry world” who have been named as finalists to compete for the coveted title of Pastry Chef of the Year at Paris Gourmet’s U.S. Pastry Competition.
The theme for the 2017 competition, which will take place at the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York on Sunday, March 5 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center, is “Modern Masters Come to Chocolate.” The finalists will have three hours to set up their exhibit and will be permitted one assistant.
The U.S. Pastry Competition, now in its 28th year, is America’s most prestigious pastry competition. The event allows leading pastry chefs to showcase their talents by creating a “petite gateau buffet” (mini-cake/dessert display) and a plated dessert, exhibited along with highly technical chocolate sculpted showpieces, using Cacao Noel brand chocolate.
Board members of the Societe Culinaire Philanthropique, one of the oldest and most prestigious chef associations in the world, will preside over the judging procedures, to determine contest awards totaling over $16,000.00.
The full list of finalists for this year’s competition includes:
- Jeremy Archereau, Restaurant Daniel (New York)
- Francois Behuet, Francois Payard Patisserie (New York)
- Manuel Bouillet, Barry Callebaut (Illinois)
- Isaac Carter, Facebook HQ, Menlo Park (California)
- John Cook, Norman Love Confections (Florida)
- Ariety Estevez, Loews Atlanta Hotel (Georgia)
- Romuald Guiot, Pitchoun Bakery (Louisiana)
- Laura Lachowecki, Woodstock Club (Indiana)
- Timothy Maguire, Icahn Assoc. (North Carolina)
- Robert Nieto, Jackson Family Wines (California)
- Richie Pratadaja, FIKA (New York)
- Deden Putra, The Peninsula (New York)
- Joel Reno, French Pastry School (Illinois)
- Rocio Varela, The Fort Worth Club (Texas)
- Jordan Weston Snider, Fairmount Grand Del Mar (California)
The event is hosted by Paris Gourmet, a specialty food importer and distributor, and co-sponsored by Cacao Noel Chocolate, Pastry 1, Beurremont Butter, Gourmand and Maison de Choix.
“We are thrilled to be hosting the 28th annual Pastry Chef of the Year Competition,” said Ron Mathews, Vice President for the Urban Expositions Family of Foodservice Events. “This special event has consistently been a highlight on the show floor, and we look forward to welcoming the competitors and an esteemed panel of judges to critique and select the next Pastry Chef of the Year.”
The International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York, sponsored by the New York State Restaurant Association, will bring together over 550 vendors and 16,000 restaurant, foodservice and retail professionals to the Jacob Javits Convention Center from March 5-7,2017. For more information, visit www.internationalrestaurantny.com or www.thefoodshows.com.
Attendees will have an opportunity to see pieces created by the leading pastry chefs who will gather for the competition throughout the duration of the show.
Tell Us What You Think!
You must be logged in to post a comment.