Savouring sweet success: Chef Vedangi Gawde bags India’s Callebaut Pâtissier of the Year title for 2024

Callebaut, renowned for producing the Finest Belgian Chocolate, recently concluded the exhilarating finale of its flagship event, Callebaut Pâtissier of the Year 2024 (CPY '24) in Mumbai in association with Taj Lands End as Hospitality Partner. The event, now in its third edition, aims to provide a platform for India's culinary maestros to craft their signature creations and display their innovative prowess with chocolate.

The journey leading to the grand finale was nothing short of extraordinary. Talented pastry chefs and chocolatiers from across India showcased their skills and creativity, impressing judges and the Indian chef community alike with their creative use of Callebaut chocolates across bakery, pastry, and confectionery creations.

The qualifying rounds across Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru revealed remarkable talent and ingenious culinary expressions. Representing their respective regions, Chef Krishanu Dey, Chef Milan Shoran, Chef Sandeep Sharma, Chef Vedangi Gawde, Chef Anshul Grover, Chef Nilesh Dewulkar, Chef Shashi Kiran and Chef Yash Chhabria were the eight finalists, of which Chef Vedangi Gawde, Chef de Partie, Sivako bagged the title while Chef Yash Chhabria, Pastry Cook & Co-Founder - Cacaobleu emerged as the first runner-up and Chef Sandeep Sharma, Demi Chef de Partie - JW Marriott Kolkata and Chef Nilesh Dewulkar, Pastry Chef - Sofitel BKC tied for the second runner up. 

hruva Jyoti Sanyal, Managing Director of Barry Callebaut Cocoa & Chocolate Ingredients India, said, “Callebaut is a preferred brand for chefs all over the world, and we are focused on enabling chefs to craft at their best. With Callebaut Pâtissier of the Year, we take a step further to provide a platform for our talented pastry chefs in India to showcase their craft to the larger community nationally and globally. This year’s theme, ‘Craft Your Signature,’ gave chefs the opportunity to showcase their authentic selves through their creations, and we’ve seen a great display of skill, talent, and passion over the course of the competition - from qualifiers to the finale! It's a moment of pride to see Indian pastry chefs craft at their best with Callebaut Chocolates."

Commenting on the exceptional talent displayed in the finale, Chef Pratik Deshmukh, Head of Chocolate Academy Mumbai, expressed his excitement, stating, "Overall, we had a great turnout for the competition. We saw a lot of great ideas and techniques showcased by the participants. We had the opportunity to taste some really unique flavour combinations as well. The Chefs truly pushed their boundaries through the competition and proudly crafted their signatures. The level of pastry skill has indeed evolved, which was displayed throughout the competition, be it with newer, more efficient methods of working or flavour pairings and techniques used to craft bonbons, entremets, and other creations."

Further, Global Callebaut Creative Lead Chef Minette Smith said, “This was my second time judging at the Callebaut Pâtissier of the Year event in India. After 2019, I can say India's pastry skills have evolved, and the contestants didn’t make it easy for the jury to select the winner. It was really nice to see the participants express their creativity using local ingredients to Craft their signature and tell their stories. I feel all participants did their best and wish each participant the best for their future.”

Speaking about her experiences, Chef Vedangi Gawde said, “I am very happy to win the title of the Callebaut Patisserie for the year. This is a very special title for me, and this win means a lot to me.”  

The grand finale saw contestants face the ultimate challenge of creating delectable signature dishes across bakery, pastry, confectionery, and showpiece categories. Leading culinary experts, including Chef Minette Smith, Chef Romain Renard, Head of MENA Chocolate Academies, and Chef Arvind Prasad, Ambassador for Callebaut Chocolates in India, joined Chef Pratik Deshmukh on the distinguished jury panel for the finale event.

Callebaut Pâtissier of the Year 2024 was hosted in association with Taj Lands End as the Hospitality Partner, The Chocolate Academy Mumbai as the Knowledge Partner, KitchenAid as the Appliance Partner, Unox as the Equipment Partner, Elle & Vire Professional and Delta Nutrtivies as the Ingredient Partners, BW Hotelier as the Media Partner, Zee Zest as the Lifestyle Partner, and VBev as the Celebration Partner.