2nd Annual StarChefs.com International Pastry Competition

Presented by PreGel

2011 Pastry Competition Winner Ramon Perez

Congratulations to Ramon Perez of Los Angeles' Puur Chocolat, this year's winner of the 2nd Annual StarChefs.com International Pastry Competition presented by PreGel. This year’s sweet showdown took place at the 6th Annual StarChefs.com International Chefs Congress, October 1 – 4 in New York City.

A select group of 20 international and U.S. pastry chefs competed for the grand prize and a year's worth of bragging rights. The format we introduced at last year’s competition emphasized courses of plated desserts, and it was designed to let the fine-dining restaurant pastry chef shine. This year was no different. The competition focused on elements critical to the execution of a well-rounded dessert menu: pre-dessert, plated dessert, bonbons, chocolate centerpiece, and entremets.

The competitors made their pastry magic happen on the ICC Main Stage while Congress attendees looked on. Bad boy Pastry Chef Johnny Iuzzini of Jean Georges in New York and a judge on "Top Chef: Just Desserts" was the official Executive Pastry Chef of the competition; guest judges included Pierre Hermé, David Burke, François Payard, Claudia Fleming, Elizabeth Falkner, Ron Paprocki, Curtis Duffy and Jeffrey Steingarten of Vogue. Dishes were evaluated on presentation, execution, creativity, taste, and theme.

Pastry Competitors

Name	Restaurant
Cicely Austin	The Oval Room
Joseph Baker	Texas Spice
Antonio Bachour	KNR Restaurant Group
Bettina Clair	Blue Hill Tavern
Dana Cree	Kadeau
Kymberli DeLost	Japonais
Christopher Ford	Rogue 24
Meg Galus	Park Hyatt Chicago
Ian Gresik	Drago Centro
Manabu Inoue	Morimoto
Christina Kaelberer	Market by Jean Georges
Jiho Kim	L'Espalier
Chris Leung	Conāt
Rory MacDonald	Dram
John Park	Lukshon
Ramon Perez	Comme Ça
Katie Rosenhouse	The Burke Group
Max Santiago	Gansevoort Miami Beach
Vera Tong	Buddakan
Jennifer Yee	SHO Shaun Hergatt

Alternate Pastry Competitors

Name	Restaurant
Luisa DeGirolamo	Piping Rock Club

Emcee Keegan Gerhard talks while the pastry competitors prepare their dishes
What is the StarChefs.com International Pastry Competition?

• An original, three-day pastry competition designed to showcase the creativity of the most talented pastry chefs in the industry
• 20 pastry chefs compete for the chance to win the grand prize (a stage in a top pastry kitchen)

Pre-competition, October 1: Pastry training and prep for Round 1

Round 1, October 2: Pre-dessert competition

Round 2, October 3: Plated dessert competition

Round 3, October 4: Finalists create three corresponding chocolate desserts, each showcasing a different technique

The first and second days of the competition are elimination rounds, culminating in three finalists on the Main Stage during the last day of the ICC. Each of the three competition rounds will be judged based on criteria specific to the items being created and presented that day.

Round 1: 20 chefs compete for 10 spots to advance to Round 2.

Round 2: 10 chefs compete for three finalist spots and prizes and advance to the final round.

Round 3: 1 pastry chef wins the grand prize.

Prizes
Grand Prize:

• $5,000 and an invitation to teach a 5-Star Pastry Series Seminar with media promotion, including airfare, stipend, and accommodations near the PreGel Professional Training Center in North Carolina. Presented by PreGel
• $5,000 voucher to be used toward the purchase of any piece of Bravo equipment, presented by Bravo
• VIP pass to attend 3 days of free classes at the Cacao Barry Training Center
• A Baxter Hybrid Convection Oven
• $2,000 of Waring Commercial products
• Opportunity to be a judge at the 2012 StarChefs.com International Pastry Competition
• Profile on StarChefs.com

Round Two Finalists:
Each of the three chefs who move on to the final round will receive the following prizes:

• $3,000 voucher to be used toward the purchase of any piece of Bravo equipment, presented by Bravo
• $2,000 voucher to be used toward the purchase of any piece of Carpigiani equipment, presented by Carpigiani
• Hobart N50 5-quart mixer, presented by Hobart
• Waring Commercial Combination Food Processor with LiquiLock^™ Seal System - Model WFP14SC, presented by Waring
• Traveler “Culinarist” Tote, presented by Trannon Culinary
• Profile on StarChefs.com

Round One Finalists:
Each of the 10 chefs who move on to round 2 will receive the following prizes:

• Waring Commercial Spice Grinder- Model WSG30, presented by Waring

A separate demonstration kitchen will be available to continuing competitors on days one and two for their mise-en-place between elimination rounds.