Not even the ceiling could stop Jean-Francois Suteau. The executive pastry chef at the Greenbrier Hotel in White Sulphur Springs, W.V., a participant at the 2013 U.S. Chocolate Master finals competition held last weekend at Barry Callebaut’s Chocolate Academy in Chicago, overcame a real structural barrier to capture the title of U.S. Chocolate Master.
As the crowd gazed on during the construction of his chocolate showpiece, a required element in the competition, Suteau literally hit a wall, or rather, a ceiling. His piece was too tall for the kitchen ceiling. Instead of letting panic set in, or changing the structure’s design, Suteau completely committed to his piece and asked the judges to help him move the ceiling panels out. It was this dedication and adherence to the theme, “Architecture of Taste,” that won his creation the Best Showpiece title.