USA

Sylvain Bortolini, assistant executive pastry chef at Bellagio Las Vegas, beat out five other pastry chefs and chocolatiers from some of the country’s leading hotels, restaurants and culinary institutions. He was named U.S. National Chocolate Master 2010 following the two-day competition that was held Sept. 27 and 28, during the International Baking Industry Exposition in Las Vegas.

Runners-up included:
• 2nd Place – Frederic Loraschi, chocolatier and owner of Chocolat Frederic Loraschi LLC in Hummelstown, Pa.
• 3rd Place – Stephen Durfee, pastry chef instructor at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena, Calif.

Bortolini and Loraschi were also recognized with special awards for “Best Chocolate Showpiece” and “Best Tasting,” respectively.

As part of the competition, a professional jury comprised of some of the nation’s most influential pastry chefs, including former U.S. national chocolate masters Lionel Clement and Vincent Pilon, judged each contestant on their overall technical skills, interpretation and execution of the theme demonstrated by their artistic showpiece, and the taste of their dipped pralines, moulded pralines, and chocolate entremet.

Bortolini’s interpretation of the theme “Cocoa Quetzalcoatl’s Gift,” started at the base of the sculpture with the shape of a metate and granite rolling pin – the ancient tools used to process the cocoa bean. A winding set of stairs led to a giant cocoa pod, which was surrounded by an array of spears designed to protect the gift that was bestowed upon the Aztec people by the god Quetzalcoatl.