United Kingdom

James Petrie, from The Fat Duck in Bray is the Jury member from the UK.Originally from Fort William, James began his formative career in Scotland. Fascinated by the precision and accuracy required in the artistry of pastry work, James Petrie followed a career path that began over 14 years ago encompassing a broad spectrum of influences and styles from the UK to the US. During this time James worked in a variety of Michelin star hotels and restaurants including Relais and Chateaux. In 2001 James began working as Pastry Chef of the award winning Fat Duck restaurant in Bray Berkshire, where he is now Head of Creative Development working with Heston Blumenthal researching and creating desserts that have received global critical acclaim. James has worked with food historians, scent and flavour experts and fellow patissiers from all over the world. 

We asked James about his thoughts on the World Chocolate Masters Final:
“It is a very exciting date in the calendar for any chocolatier or pastry chef. I look forward to seeing what the contestants bring to the table, either with new techniques, flavour profiles, or consistency and precision in their chocolate work. It is also a great honour to be judging in the jury alongside some of the top chocolate professionals in the world today.