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Call For Entries: The Next Generation Chocolate Competition

Applications are now available for the 3rd bi-annual Next Generation Chocolatier Competition, the only national competition for chocolatiers in the US. This year, I am acting as the Head Judge.

The competition is open to professional chocolatiers and culinary students living and working in the US. This year's theme is "Salty Sweet." ChocolateLife members are among the very first to hear about the competition and have access to the guidelines and application form.

The Competition Guidelines and Application form are attached to this post for you to download and read. It's a two-step process. You must first submit an application, which is then vetted. 20 semi-finalists will be selected to submit entries for final judging. The application deadline is August 1, 2008. NOTE: The application deadline has been extended to August 15th. There is no fee to apply.

Please use this forum to ask questions about the competition. The competition's organizer, Curtis Vreeland, is a ChocolateLife member and he and I (in my role as head judge) will do our best to answer all of your questions in a timely fashion.

Tags: competition, next generation

Attachments:

NXTGENGuidelinesApplication.pdf, 129 KB

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Caroline Coats on July 10, 2008 at 5:44pm: Hi Clay,

I am very interested in entering the competition, but i'm not sure if i'm eligible. I've taken various chocolate courses through Ecole Chocolat and would like to enter one of bon bons I developed for one of the courses - it works perfect with the competition theme! At the moment i'm not a student and I am also not in business for myself. I have been offered a job to work for a chocolatier, but I will not be employed there until after August 1st. Am I eligible to apply?

Caroline; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Clay Gordon on July 11, 2008 at 10:54am: Caroline:

The organizer of the competition, Curtis Vreeland, is a member of TheChocolateLife. I will forward a message off to him asking him to take a look at your question. In the meantime, it takes only a few moments to apply so why not go ahead? You have nothing to lose and I know that Pam Williams would be thrilled to know that one of her students wants to compete (don't forget to get a letter of recommendation from her - and maybe confirmation from your future employer).

:: Clay; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Caroline Coats on July 11, 2008 at 11:45am: Thank you! I'll definitely apply.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Curtis Vreeland on July 11, 2008 at 3:13pm: You will need to be employed as a chocolate maker by the date of the judging, which is the first week in October. So go ahead and apply, but be sure to include that recommendation letter. Good luck.

:: Curtis Vreeland
NXT GEN Chocolatier Competition Founder; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Clay Gordon on July 11, 2008 at 10:58am: As an FYI, the winner in the "Best Ganache" category in 2004 was Jeff Shepherd of Lillie Belle Farms in Central Point, OR. Jeff is a member of TheChocolateLife.

:: Clay; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Edward on July 12, 2008 at 11:18am: Love to enter, have my own chocolate business, but alas-- wrong country....; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jeff on July 22, 2008 at 12:59pm: Thanks clay....it was my first contest.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jeff on July 22, 2008 at 1:02pm: So curtis?-clay?

can we enter 2 different pieces? or is it limited to one? I just developed a new one that fits the criteria that is absolutely out of this world good. I mean broke da mouf good.

so-can i? pretty please? with sugar and salt on top?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Clay Gordon on July 22, 2008 at 9:29pm: Jeff:

There is a bar category and a bon bon category. As far as I am concerned you may enter one piece in each of those categories for a total of two pieces. Does that clarify things?

:: Clay; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jeff on July 23, 2008 at 11:06am: yes......I now have to choose which bon bon will kill the competition......just leave them wimpering in wonderment at the majesty of my creations....; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jeff on July 29, 2008 at 11:03am: hey curtis???

I just read the official rules and saw that it wants chocolatiers with under 5 years in business. I assume those of us who participated in 2003 are now disqualified? Me, chris, bethany, kee? make the cut-off 6 years and we are in!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Sarah Hart on July 31, 2008 at 6:11pm: I understood it to mean that there are two categories and the "rising star" part is for those 5 years and less, and the rest is open to anyone making artisan chocolates.; ▶ Reply to This