On 12 October, 3 chefs will compete against each other to win the prestigious title of Singaporean Chocolate Master before competing in the World Chocolate Masters World Final.

Read all about their motivations, inspirations and challenges here!

Why do you participate in the World Chocolate Masters?

I participate in the World Chocolate Masters to push myself to a higher level by creating new flavour combinations with chocolates with other ingredients. 

What do you hope to get out of the competition?

I hope to gain more knowledge from the participants from the other countries.

Describe briefly what Futropolis means to you?

Futropolis means future cities, modern gadget and advanced technologies. 

What is/are your main source(s) of inspiration to create for this competition?

My main source of inspiration is from modern architecture design such as Singapore’s garden by the bay and flower dome.

What do you see as your biggest challenge to overcome in this competition?

The biggest challenge for me would be timing as there are multiple components in the dessert, so I have to work really fast in order to complete all the components including textures and flavours.

Give a sneak peek of what the audience and the jury can expect from you?

Since the theme is Futropolis, I came up with the idea of ‘star city’. In the future, inhabitants might live in tall buildings with the shape of stars, branching out in all directions. 

What is your personal favourite Cacao Barry chocolate and why?

My personal favourite is Ocoa 70% dark chocolate as it has a very strong chocolatey flavour. I will be using this chocolate for 'chocolate snack to go'. 

What is your secret ingredient that will convince the jury?

My secret ingredients are fresh fruits, as they go well with chocolates. I will be using mango, banana and lime to create a refreshing taste.

Why do you participate in the World Chocolate Masters?

I participate in the World Chocolate Masters to gain more experience. It is my first time participating in an international competition. I am excited to try out a new challenge.

What do you hope to get out of the competition?

I hope to gain more experience, knowledge and skills from different pastry chefs in an international competition as such.

Describe briefly what Futropolis means to you?

To me, Futropolis means that the world is changing. The future is unpredictable, so therefore we have to use our imagination and imagine how the cities and world would look like in the near future 

What is/are your main source(s) of inspiration to create for this competition?

My main source of inspiration is learning from other pastry chefs. I gain new ideas and knowledge working with them. 

What do you see as your biggest challenge to overcome in this competition?

The biggest challenge to me would be time. Due to my busy work schedule, I missed some classes and have limited time to practice. It is challenging to manage my time for the competition. 

Give a sneak peek of what the audience and the jury can expect from you?

The shape of the chocolate dessert will be different from others. I'm using a chocolate which is not commonly used, hence it would be challenging for me to incorporate that into a dessert shape.

What is your personal favourite Cacao Barry chocolate and why?

Unable to answer due to confidentiality issues. 

What is your secret ingredient that will convince the jury?

My secret ingredient would be using savoury ingredients to create the dessert, so that the judges will feel its different from other competitors. 

Why do you participate in the World Chocolate Masters?

The World Chocolate Masters is an individual competition which focuses on chocolate; I want to experience and gain more knowledge from this international competition. This would enhance my skills and creativity as a pastry chef. 

What do you hope to get out of the competition?

From this competition, I hope to learn more about myself and to keep trying new ideas, enhancing my creativity and to keep myself motivated at all times. 

Describe briefly what Futropolis means to you?

For me, Futropolis is the connection between cities and nature. I believe future cities will become greener and more comfortable for us to live on this planet.

What is/are your main source(s) of inspiration to create for this competition?

My main source of inspiration is the connection between digital world and nature. My inspiration also comes from a movie called ‘Ghost in the shell’. The main character has a robot body with a human soul, and she fights against evil. 

What do you see as your biggest challenge to overcome in this competition?

The biggest challenge for me to overcome would be fatigue and timing. This is because I am currently working in the hotel-line, about a 12-hour shift. I only have the opportunity to practise and come up with new ideas when I am off work.  

Give a sneak peek of what the audience and the jury can expect from you?

I will be designing a chocolate that is unable to be produced by 3D printers. I will also be incorporating interesting techniques into the dessert.

What is your personal favourite Cacao Barry chocolate and why?

My favourite Cacao Barry chocolate is Tanzanie. There is a perfect balance between the bitterness and acidity, and it also goes well with tropical fruits for Asian countries. 

What is your secret ingredient that will convince the jury?

My secret ingredient is the banana skin. By combining it with coffee, it produces a sweet, fruity and bitter flavour.