Entries open for UK chocolate show

The Academy of Chocolate has received a flurry of entries for its 2016 awards.

A highly anticipated event in the international chocolate calendar now being held for the eighth time, the awards attract major international chocolate producers and artisan chocolatiers from all over the globe. The fine chocolate industry is fast growing and changing, and the Academy of Chocolate has spent a great deal of time consulting with producers and carefully revising and updating award categories to reflect developments.

Sara Jayne Stanes, academy chairman, says, “Selfridges has demonstrated its support of the smaller chocolate makers by curating and displaying artisan producers alongside more widely known brands, and we are very excited to be celebrating our top winners in partnership with them.”

Judging will be taking place in London during the week beginning 4 April under the chairmanship of pastry chef and teacher Michael Nadell, who comments, “It’s a pleasure to be leading the panel of judges at these prestigious awards. They have developed a reputation as an independent certificate of excellence. As a chef and patissier I know I can rely on their medal winners. And as a teacher I delight in the encouragement they give to newcomers.”

The Gold, Silver and Bronze medal winners will be announced at the end of April. The winner of the Golden Bean, for Best Bean to Bar, and other special prizes, will be announced later in the year.