National Selections: Report

Chef Diego Lozano wins the Brazilian selection

On 17th April 2007, the Brazilian Chocolate Master was selected at Restaubar fair in Sao Paulo.  It was chef Patissier Diego Lozano from Sao Paolo who won the Brasilian contest  and who will be the first representative of a Latin American country in the world finals. 

It was a very high level event, with contestants who showed high quality, dedication and professionalism. After 6:30 hours of competition with hard work, sweat and creativity, the president of the ABAGA Chef Jorge Monti anounced the results. 

The World Chocolate Masters pre-selection, organized for the first time in Brazil and organized by Barry Callebaut´s gourmet brands - Callebaut, Cacao Barry and Carma – and with the support of ABAGA (Brazilian High Gastronomy Association - Associação Brasileita da Alta Gastronomia) took place at the Restaubar Exhibition on April 17th, at the arena specially built for the gfastronomic contests.

Five chefs were challenged to present within the available timimg, diferent techniques in the usage of chocolate, such as: an artistic showpiece, 50 moulded pralines, 50 dipped pralines, one chocolate cake and a gastronomic desert in which the ingredients used were only revealed to the candidates a few minutes before the begining of the competition, inside a Mistery Box. 

Among these ingredients they could find eggs, fresh cream, butter, fresh tarragon, mint, passion fruit and raspberry pulp, etc plus many Callebaut products such as chocolate, nut pastes, Mycryo cocoa butter and others.

The winner of the “Finest Taste Award 2007" was the confectionnery chef of Hotel Emiliano in Sao Paolo, Chef Arnor Gomes Porto.

The jury consisted of Chef Hugo Robalez (President of AUCA, Uruguai), Laurent Grille (SP), Dominique Gueran (Sofitel RJ), Philippe Sofietti (Bufet França SP), Francesco Carli (Restaurante Cipriani - RJ), Chef Carlo Möckli (Swissgourmet RJ) and president of the jury Philippe Vancayseele (Barry Callebaut). 

Diego Lozano, winner of the contest, following the competition´s theme, got inspired by the rich Brazilian folklore to present his artisitic showpiece based on the legends of the “Saci Pererê” – a one leg tricky character who lives in the forests – and the “Mula sem Cabeça” – a mull without head that haunts the Amazonan Forests. Using typical ingredients from the Amazon Region such as mangaba, Para nuts, cupuaçu and açaí, Diego presented his other creations.