Japanese Chocolatiers Scored High in International Contests

In November last year, Tokyo Confectionary School staged the regional preliminary competition to nominate the Japanese representative to challenge the 2015 International World Chocolate Masters Competition in Paris. Chef Hisashi Onobayashi of Club Harie, Shiga,  won the nomination.

Onobayashi won the title "Japan Chocolate Master 2015" and the ticket to Paris.

Asked for a comment Onobayashi thanked the organizers and said:

"It took me this long to come this far. I have challenged the regional competition twice and finished second each time. Now that I finally go out there to challenge, I'll go after the championship".

Every other year chocolatiers gather to compete for top skills in choco artistry in the International World Chocolate Masters Competition. This year's competition was held in Paris, October 30.

Japan's Hisashi Onobayashi, 36, put up his best but finished second place after Vincent Vallee, 27. of France. Onobayashi commented that "loss is a loss" and he pledged he would make the most of his next around.

Onobayashi is the chef of a Japanese-style confectionery shop Youkaichi Hariekan, Higashi Omi, Shiga.

The finalists from 20 countries challenged the world's largest chocolate festa at Salon de chocolate, Paris, for three days making 3-meter high chocolate sculpture and cakes on given themes within a preset time period.

Elsewhere, on October 29 Chef Miyuki Watanabe, 49, of "Petit Rose", Paris, was awarded "Chocolatier" Award at the Salon du Chocolat. And the owner chef "of", Shibuya, Tokyo, Kouichi Tsuchiya , 55, and the owner chef, 38, of Piccola Pasticceria Yumiko Saimura were awarded "Foreign Chocolatier". Tsuchiya commented:

"We still have plenty to learn from France. No copying others, we go on making 'Japan's choco".

At the Salon du Chocolat this year, a 6-meter high chocolate Bear by the famous sculptor Richard Orlinski was unveiled to embellish the stage for the choco festa.