Junior Chocolate Masters 2023 - Meet our Finalists
Junior Chocolate Masters 2023 - Meet our Finalists
Our Junior Chocolate Masters 2023 Final is just around the corner and we wanted to introduce you to our finalists.
This year the competition takes place on 27th July 2023 at the UK & Ireland Chocolate Academy in Banbury.
This years theme is...The Changing World đ â
The world is under pressure to change to survive. Environmental issues and food manufacturing processes are under scrutiny to improve and evolve to keep our planet going. Health is a top requirement for customers, people want healthy ingredients that give nutritional boosts to food and snacks. Individual choice is important and customers want vegan and free-from options.â
The world needs our help to survive, sustainability and ethical food choices are vital to the changing world. Chocolate is a special ingredient that has always inspired creation and mystique, the mission is to use chocolate to help change the world.â
We're excited to introduce you to one of our Finalists - Mignon Strydom, Chef de Partie at the Dorchester.
1. Where did it all start? How did you fall in love with cooking, pastry and chocolate?
Like many chefs, my love for baking started from a very young age. My grandmother was a very good baker and it trickled down the family tree. What started as a creative outlet, slowly turned into an obsession and eventually a career. As a young girl, I started baking cakes for friends of my mother, taking my very first paid order when I was 13 years old. I spent every spare second teaching myself the basics of cake decorating and sugarcraft, spending all my pocket money on tools and books. Over the years I took on more orders over weekends, increasing in difficulty each time. I took a leap of faith when I moved to London and started my first job in the industry at The Dorchester. I have learn a lot over the last couple of years, and have been privileged to meet and be mentored by my current Chef. I never wouldâve imagined that Iâd be in the position that I am now, moving in circles with some of the worldâs best pastry chefs.
My interest in baking has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I have only recently been exposed to the world of chocolate since working at the Dorchester. I am lucky to work with a number of very talented chefs who have taken the time to teach me all they know in the field. I fell in love with the are of chocolate whilst helping my mentor with the EU Coup de Monde in Lyon, where I had my first interaction with chocolate show pieces. Seeing how such a simple ingredient can be manipulated in so many different ways, not only as a flavour sensation but as an artistic medium. Since then, I have grabbed every opportunity to create chocolate amenities in the hotel and learn all there is to know about chocolate. Working at The Dorchester means I am lucky enough to be in the midst of a wide variety of outlets. Everything from afternoon tea, banqueting, patisserie entremets, chocolate bonbons, showpieces, as well as a la carte restaurant, cafe offerings and many more. All there is to know in the industry is under one roof, one kitchen. There is not one day that goes by that you donât learn something new.
2. What or who is your greatest source of inspiration?
As clichĂ© as it might sound, my mentor, Michael Kwan is my biggest inspiration in the kitchen. Iâve had the privilege of working with him for over a year now, and not a day has gone by where I havenât learnt at least one thing from him. He recently took part in the Coup De Monde, and has demonstrated both grit and passion for the craft. Working almost 24/7 towards a goal whilst managing a kitchen team of 23 is no easy task. He is a tough Chef to please and has a way of squeezing every ounce of potential out of an individual. His leadership and encouragement as the reason why I am in the position that I am today.
3. What has been your favourite culinary creation so far?
I love anything that challenges me creatively. For my dadâs birthday this year, I decided to surprise him with a realistic model of an airplane he owned when I was a little girl. I stayed behind after work to make it, not leaving until 2am. Working on something for my dad was incredibly special and seeing the end result was worth the sleepless nights and extra hours practising after work. My second favourite creation has to be the Coronation Cake display for our Cake and Flower shop. I had the huge privilege to be asked to help create the display when our Executive Sous had to take time off under short notice, however I was delighted to take on the challenge. They wanted a 5 tier cake to match the theme of our Coronation Decoration on the Facade of the hotel.
4. What motivated you to enter the Junior Chocolate Masters competition?
I took part in my first competition this time last year, the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts, Annual Awards of Excellence. The entire experience was incredibly rewarding and I not only learnt a lot about myself as a chef, but also met a great network of young chefs in the industry. I decided that I would take on a nee challenge each year in order to continue growing and improving my skills in the kitchen as well as compare my level against other Chefs in the industry. Under the guidance and influence of my mentor, I have no choice but the perform to the best of my ability.
5. What does the theme âThe Changing Worldâ evoke to you?
It is incredibly important for us as chefs to be aware of what is happening in the world around us. A lot of the ingredients we use, are incredibly valuable and resource demanding to produce. We have a responsibility to not only educate ourselves on the impact of using these ingredients, but also the impact that our industry has on supply chain, sustainability, and the environment. At the end of the day, We are the suppliers to the market and we can have an influence on the overall effect our products make to the environment.
Health is becoming a huge priority in peoples lives, where nutrition is at the forefront. As Pastry chefs, we have it the hardest in the sense that most items we make are high fat, high sugar. It is for this reason that we need to find alternative methods to achieve the results our consumers enjoy. We are in the position to change the outlook on desserts, showing that it doesnât always need to be a sickly sweet dessert to finish the meal. We can influence peoples tastes and cater to the growing need for âhealthierâ offerings on the dessert menu without having to resort to a simple fruit salad.
6. How are you preparing for the competition?
I am privileged to be in the position where I am able to practice in a kitchen with state of the art equipment and ingredients. Working on Afternoon Tea in the mornings, and my competition in the evenings. A few of my coworkers have taken part in competitions in the past so there is no shortage of feedback and second opinions. I am incredibly grateful to have their support and advice. I have been given the opportunity to help with R&D for our new A la Carte Menu, as well as cafe offering which has challenged my creative abilities.
7. What is your favourite chocolate? Why?
Traceability and sustainable working conditions are some of the most important factors I look for when choosing chocolate to work with. Callebaut happens to tick both of those boxes with their range. I prefer working with dark chocolate simply because it brings a depth to the end product like no other. You can control the sweetness of your final dessert in a much better way, choosing healthier alternatives to sugar without sacrificing the depth in flavour.
8. Any ambition for the future you'd like to share with us?
As we are all aware, the culinary industry is evolving. Consumers are much more conscious of what they are putting into their bodies than ever before. My vision is to one day create mouthwatering pastries that the everybody can enjoy without feeling guilty. In the past, trying to reduce the caloric content of items, more often than not impacted the flavour and texture. I hope to develop recipes that will shock people when they find out it is actually healthy and can be enjoyed more often. Including more nutritious ingredients to boost immune systems, as well as overall health is incredibly important.
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