Held on the luxurious St. Regis The Palm Dubai on September 16, the occasion introduced collectively the nation’s most gifted pastry cooks to compete in a high-stakes, creativity-driven problem. The competitors was powered by Masterbaker, the unique distributor of each manufacturers within the UAE, reinforcing the occasion’s place as a premier showcase of culinary excellence.
The competitors featured 13 cooks representing main five-star inns throughout the UAE. Over 5 intense hours, members demonstrated their mastery of pastry by crafting a refined afternoon tea set. Cooks had been tasked with balancing taste, texture, and presentation whereas making ready six signature gadgets, three candy creations, one gluten-free merchandise, one dessert impressed by native flavors, and a candy and savory innovation. Every dish needed to incorporate at the very least one product from Candia Skilled’s Signature Vary, together with the Connoisseur Cream 40 %, Whipping Cream 35 %, or Connoisseur Butter, alongside one sort of Veliche Chocolate, akin to milk, darkish, white, or caramel.
Including power and pleasure to the occasion, chef Nicole Mrad, entrepreneur chef and digital creator behind @Cuisinewithnicole, hosted the competitors. Recognized for her participating character and fervour for meals, chef Nicole, winner of the Meals Influencer Awards and adopted by greater than 131,000 Instagram followers, guided attendees by means of the competitors phases. Her presence introduced a full of life and interactive dimension to the occasion, conserving the viewers engaged because the cooks plated their creations.
The judging panel consisted of a distinguished lineup of worldwide pastry specialists. chef François Galtier, bronze medalist on the World Pastry Cup, chef Steve Thiery, government pastry chef at Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab, chef Ilhame Guerrah, former government pastry chef at a number of five-star inns worldwide, and chef Tom Thomas, senior bakery chef at Richemont Masterbaker College, evaluated every entry primarily based on method, creativity, presentation, and taste. Including a singular perspective, a member of the general public joined the panel, reflecting the viewers’s voice and making the judging extra inclusive.
After meticulous deliberation, 4 winners emerged, every celebrated for distinctive craftsmanship and storytelling by means of pastry. Inana Hassanaly from 4 Seasons Dubai secured the highest prize, demonstrating excellent technical ability and creativity. She was joined by Nayindra Chetry from Anantara The Palm Dubai, Raviraj Singh Gour from 5 Palm Dubai, and Thushara Chintaka from 4 Seasons Abu Dhabi. The winners acquired an unique culinary journey to France and Belgium, together with visits to Veliche Chocolate and Candia Skilled factories, adopted by a non-public masterclass in Paris, a once-in-a-lifetime alternative to refine their craft and achieve worldwide publicity.
This occasion marks a milestone within the UAE’s culinary calendar, highlighting the rising prominence of pastry arts and the growing use of premium dairy and chocolate merchandise in modern gastronomy. By bringing collectively prime expertise, world experience, and public engagement, Candia Skilled and Veliche have set a brand new benchmark for culinary competitions within the area.
Because the UAE continues to place itself as a hub for culinary excellence, this first-of-its-kind dairy and chocolate competitors underscores the nation’s dedication to supporting creativity, technical mastery, and worldwide collaboration within the gastronomy sector.
