The second edition of the Savour Patissier of the Year competition in Foodservice Australia (Melbourne), created by Kirsten Tibballs, will be held from 28 to 30 May, and the names of the 30 candidates are known: Luke Johnson (chef de partie RACV Club – Le Petit Gateau), Sergey Kulkin (pastry chef Ginger LLC), Alessandro Bartesaghi (head pastry chef MCEC), Muriel Minji Kim (pastry chef Grand Hyatt Melbourne), Daniel Windelhed (pastry chef Wiencafeet Anno 1904), Michael Oksinski (pastry chef Du Plessy Praline), Nichole Horvath (sous chef Burch & Purchese Sweet Studio), Curtis Cameron (executive pastry chef Las Alcobas Napa Valley), Florian Fontaine (pastry chef Cacao), Kevin Gully (production manager Laurent Bakery), Daria Nechiporenko (sous chef Inter. Convention Centre Sydney), Johann Vanier (sous chef De Toni Patisserie), Michael Germanos (patissier RACV Club – Le Petit Gateau), Patricio Larrea (chef Oriol Balaguer), Remco Brigou (head product development Koko Black), Vincent Denis (pastry chef l’eveil des sens), Nadezhda Golubcova (pastry chef NadinCake), Jeroen Cools (pastry chef The Pantry), David Flukes (lecturer.-patisserie Le Cordon Bleu Melbourne), Karen Jung (head chocolatier Adriano Zumbo), Jo Ward (Executive pastry chef Om Nom Kitchen & Dessert Bar), Giovanni Finazzi (pastry chef de partie Mills and Bakery), Melanie Day (head pastry chef Pullmans Hotel, Cairns), Joshua Cochrane (sous chef RACV Club – Le Petit Gateau), Bobby Santanto (Chef de partie Om Nom Kitchen and Dessert Bar), Eigen Ting (pastry chef L’Hotel Gitan), Santiago Cuyugan (pastry chef / chocolatier), Mat Baverel (pastry chef Adriano Zumbo), Jimmy Clair (head baker LuxBite), and Kieran van Bunnik (apprentice pastry chef Adriano Zumbo).

Each candidate will have to demonstrate their skills in four categories (cakes, éclairs, entremets and desserts) before some of the most internationally renowned pastry chefs in the world: Christophe Michalak (so good #8, so good #4, so good #2), Antonio Bachour, Jordi Roca (so good #4, so good #7, so good #9), and Paul Kennedy. The judges will select a winner in each category. The competitor with the highest combined score will win the title and prize of Savour Patissier of the Year.