The annual **Chocolatier of the Year Competition** is a crucial event that benchmarks excellence and innovation in fine chocolate production across the nation. This archived post celebrates a pivotal year in the competition, showcasing the rigorous judging process—which assesses taste, creativity, and workmanship—and the top contenders who elevated the craft of the bonbon. The dedication to supporting small business owners and providing national exposure remains a core value reflected in the structure of this prestigious contest.
A true highlight of Pastry Live, nine elite chocolatiers from across the country submitted two of their finest chocolates for review. One chocolate was required to be their **best available in-store** and the other, a **specialty enrobed chocolate**. The judges, some of the best in the industry—Chris Northmore, Stephen Durfee, Jean-Marie Auboine, Vincent Pilon, Stéphane Treand, Jerome Landrieu, and A.J. DiFonzo—based their scores on the **taste, creativity, and workmanship** of each chocolate. Forty audience members took their roles as “People’s Choice” judges seriously and also critiqued the fine bonbons. The results were exciting:
Chocolatier of the Year Archive: And the Winner Is…
The official competition results:
1st Place: Lionel Clement, chef at Nuubia Chocolat, impressed the judges with his unique flavor combination and mastery of bonbons. His **lime-vanilla ganache** chocolate earned him high scores for its excellent flavor and texture, while his **raspberry jasmine tea** chocolate was praised for its creativity of design and execution.
2nd Place: Frederic Loraschi of Chocolat Frederic Loraschi was awarded for his brown sugar caramel and cinnamon ganache filled “Swirl” recipe and his homemade peanut praline “Caracas” chocolates.
3rd Place: David Ramirez
Audience Choice: David Ramirez of Cocoa Latte won over the audience with his hand dipped crunchy-pistachio truffles and his Florida key-lime chocolates.
Archived Competition Structure and Rules
Pastry Live supports small business owners!
The Chocolatier of the Year Competition was specifically designed to:
- Provide an affordable way to bring national exposure to culinary work.
- Offer objective feedback on how small business work measures up against others in the industry.
- Provide data on public opinion via the “People’s Choice” award.
Chocolate shop owners from around the nation competed for the title of Chocolatier of the Year. Competitors were required to submit 60 pieces each of the following:
- A molded chocolate already sold in their shop.
- A specialty chocolate of their choice.
Chocolates were judged on taste and workmanship by a panel of industry experts. There was also a People’s Choice Award where audience members participated in the tasting and judging.
Lionel Clement
Nuubia Chocolat
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Robyn Dochterman
St. Croix Chocolate Co
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Franck Labasse
Sugar and Plumm
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Brandon Lee
Aspire Bakery & Bistro
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Gene Leiterman
Coco Flow
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Frederic Loraschi
Chocolat F.L.
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Oscar Ortega
Atelier Ortega
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David Ramirez
Cocoa Latte
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Peter Rios
Alliance Bakery
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Amy Everett Stankus
Chocolate South
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Download the original rules. Click here!
Registration is permanently closed for this archived competition.
The Chocolatier of the Year competition continues to define the forefront of fine chocolate work. The archived results demonstrate that success hinges on both technical mastery (workmanship, texture) and bold flavor innovation (lime-vanilla, raspberry jasmine tea). The inclusion of the “Audience Choice” award also underscores the enduring value of connecting exceptional quality with popular appeal, proving that even in the world of gourmet chocolate, public feedback is an essential metric for small business success.
of the Year 2011