Sweet victory: Edmonton chocolatier wins international award
CBC News | Posted: October 24, 2016 2:50 PM | Last Updated: October 24, 2016
'We're trying to be better than we were the day before, so it's nice'
Victory, how sweet it is.
Edmonton chocolatier Brett Roy is celebrating another international win.
The owner of Sweet Lollapalooza Chocolates, took home the silver medal in the annual International Chocolate Awards, given out in London, England.
It's a coveted prize among makers of fine chocolates.
"It's considered an elite, prestigious event. And this year, it came down to 1,700 entrants around the world, so it's huge," Roy said in an interview with CBC Radio's Edmonton AM. "It's amazing."
His Pure Nacional chocolate was named among the most delicious at the world finals in London, Oct. 14. The artisanal creation is made of a rare, pricey cocoa found only in the jungles of Peru.
"After people thought it had been wiped out a hundred years ago, they found it up in the Andes in Peru," said Roy.
"It was thought to be extinct so they had it genetically analysed and, since its discovery, it's been proven that it is this rare variety."
After submitting seven chocolates in the Canadian leg of competition in September, Roy won two gold and four silver medals for his dark chocolate ganaches, and earned a spot in the world finals.
This year, more than 1,700 finalists from around the world were sampled and judged by a grand jury of international judges, which included renowned chocolatiers and chefs.
This isn't Roy's first taste of victory. Over the last three years of competition, he has won four silver medals and a bronze.
"It's a progressive, consistent thing that we're trying for. We're trying to be better than we were the day before, so it's nice," he said. "It's very flattering."
What's next for Roy? He's already toying with a new kind of truffle, by experimenting with new flavours and ingredients.
It's a labour of love for Roy, who says inspiration is always waiting to strike.
"You travel, you go out to a museum, you go out to a restaurant or you're having a cocktail, and you think, 'Oh this will work' … and then you persist until you get it right," Roy said.
But you can go too far.
"Chocolate, you can make it taste like whatever you want, but if doesn't taste like chocolate, then I've kind of missed the point."