Crusellas won the coveted title by bowling over the judges and viewers at home, who bestowed upon him the public #WOW award.
For the next three years, Crusellas will not only enjoy the much-coveted titled of the world’s finest chocolate craftsman, but he also benefits from an exclusive collaboration with Harrods London. The chocolate creation will be displayed in the famous London luxury department store in spring 2023.
Antoine Carréric from France and Nicolas Nikolakopoulos from Greece took home the silver and bronze medal.
Dilip Kumara, assistant pastry chef of FIVE Hotels and Resorts Dubai, represented the Middle East in the World Chocolate Masters.
Amaury Guichon, head of the WCM jury, said: “The World Chocolate Masters (WCM) have always been about pushing the boundaries of chocolate craftsmanship to new heights, and during this year’s competition, Crusellas set a whole new standard for innovation and creativity. Amid fierce competition, the title of World Chocolate Master that Crusellas will be taking home is a tribute to the skill, ingenuity and vision he has shown throughout the final.”
After an intense three final days at Salon du Chocolat Paris, Crusellas won over the jury, presided by pastry chef and star of Netflix’s “School of Chocolate” Amaury Guichon, with sensorial creations that highlighted his attention to detail, creativity and knowledge of flavor. On the final day, Crusellas was able to present a brioche with zero sugar by using an enzyme: an amazing innovation that surprised the judges.
Crusellas said: “It feels incredible to win the title of World Chocolate Master, after months and months of training, not just for me but for the whole team supporting me along the way. I’ve dreamed about winning this title, but I never expected it, and to be able to take the award home feels amazing. This is not just my prize; it is a prize that I share with all the professionals in my country.”
Crusellas’s stunning #wow window display portrayed a world in danger, with a beautifully sculpted elephant standing on a scorched earth to depict two possible scenarios in the future. Earlier in the competition, Team Spain surprised visitors at the Salon du Chocolat by handing out a 3D sculpted tokens.
The results of the WCM World Final 2022 were as follows:
- Lluc Crusellas (Spain), 434p
- Antoine Carréric (France), 405p
- Nicolas Nikolakopoulos (Greece), 404p
- Anna Gerasi (Italy), 382p
- Christophe Rull (US), 381p
- Dongsuk Kim (Korea), 377p
- Joro Tanaka (Japan), 375p
- Togo Matsuda (Belgium), 370p
- Jacky Lung (China), 356p
- Igor Zaritskyi (Poland), 337p
This year’s edition of WCM emphasized what the world will see on counters and shelves of pastry shop in the future. The event was an online hit, with hundreds of thousands of chocolate enthusiasts tuning in to follow the competition and vote for their creations.
Established in 2005, WCM’s previous winners include Davide Comaschi from Italy, Vincent Vallée from France and Frank Haasnoot from the Netherlands.
worldchocolatemasters.com
facebook.com/worldchocolatemasters
instagram.com/worldchocolatemasters
cacao-barry.com
salonduchocolat.fr
About author
Rita Ghantous
Rita Ghantous is a hospitality aficionado and a passionate writer with over 9 years’ experience in journalism and 5 years experience in the hospitality sector. Her passion for the performance arts and writing, started early. At 10 years old she was praised for her solo performance of the Beatles song “All My Love” accompanied by a guitarist, and was approached by a French talent scout during her school play. However, her love for writing was stronger. Fresh out of school, she became a freelance journalist for Noun Magazine and was awarded the Silver Award Cup for Outstanding Poetry, by The International Library of Poetry (Washington DC). She studied Business Management and earned a Masters degree from Saint Joseph University (USJ), her thesis was published in the Proche-Orient, Études en Management book. She then pursued a career in the hospitality industry but didn’t give up writing, that is why she launched the Four Points by Sheraton Le Verdun Newsletter. Her love for the industry and journalism led her to Hospitality Services - the organizers of the HORECA trade show in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Jordan, as well as Salon Du Chocolat, Beirut Cooking Festival, Whisky Live and other regional shows. She is currently the Publications Executive of Hospitality News Middle East, Taste & Flavors and Lebanon Traveler. It is with ultimate devotion for her magazines that she demonstrates her hospitality savoir-faire.
