Chicago/USA, – Five of the top pâtissiers, chefs and chocolatiers have been selected to form the prestigious jury panel for the U.S. selections of World Chocolate Masters, hosted by Cacao Barry®, Callebaut® and Carma®, the gourmet chocolate brands of Barry Callebaut, the world's leading manufacturer of high-quality cocoa and chocolate products.

The panel will bestow the coveted title of U.S. Chocolate Master to a talented chocolate artisan at the final competition on January 11-12, 2013 at the Barry Callebaut Chocolate Academy in Chicago. The panel features Sylvain Bortolini, Executive Pastry Chef at the Bellagio Hotel & Resort in Las Vegas and the 2010 U.S. World Chocolate Master, as Jury President.

The other four members of the jury panel are:

-Lauren Haas, Callebaut Ambassador and Pastry Chef Instructor, Johnson & Wales University, R.I.
-Dimiti Fayard, Pastry Chef Instructor, French Pastry School, Chicago, Ill.
-Jérôme Landrieu, Director of the Barry Callebaut Chocolate Academy and Cacao Barry Technical Advisor, Chicago, Ill.
-Rocco Lugrine, Cacao Barry Ambassador and Pastry Chef Instructor, Art Institute of Philadelphia, Pa.

During the weekend competition, the finalists will present a chocolate showpiece, a molded praline / molded bonbon, a gastronomic chocolate dessert and their own interpretation of the classic American pastry, the donut. The jury will evaluate the creations, based on criteria such as artistry, taste, adherence to the theme of Architecture of Taste and technical skills.

The finalists include:

-Jove Hubbard, Executive Pastry Chef, The James Hotel, Chicago, Ill.
-Todd Owen, Executive Pastry Chef, Old Edwards Inn and Spa, Highlands, N.C.
-Evan Sheridan, Chef de Tournant, University Club of Chicago, Chicago, Ill.
-Jean-Francois Suteau, Executive Pastry Chef, The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.

The U.S. titleholder will go on to compete against top culinary artisans from 18 countries in the 2013 World Chocolate Masters, an initiative of Barry Callebaut. World Chocolate Masters is in its 5th edition and is the only global culinary competition dedicated to the art of chocolate.

More information is available at www.WorldChocolateMasters.com.

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The World Chocolate Masters is an inititative of the three leading Gourmet brands: Cacao Barry®, Callebaut®and Carma®(www.WorldChocolateMasters.com).

About Callebaut® (www.callebaut.com):

For 100 years, Callebaut® has been making chocolate in the heart of Belgium and is still one of the rare chocolate makers to select, roast and grind cacao beans into its own secret and exclusive cocoa mass – the most important ingredient for chocolate couvertures. Callebaut® was established in 1850 in Belgium as a malt brewery and dairy company. It produced its first chocolate bars in 1911 and began production of chocolate couverture for Belgian chocolatiers in 1925. Callebaut® began exporting its products in 1950 and is part of Barry Callebaut, the world's leading manufacturer of high-quality cocoa and chocolate.

About Cacao Barry® (www.cacaobarry.com):

By constantly inventing and reinventing Pastry, France brings the Art of Gastronomy to a very high level. It is a tradition envied by the whole world. It is all about creativity, innovation, and above all passion. Since its creation in 1842, Cacao Barry® has been entirely committed to this heritage. Today Cacao Barry® provides the most complete palette of products, to all passionate chocolate craftsmen around the world: chocolate and couvertures, pralinés, origins and exclusive plantations, decorations and moulds, inspiring them and opening doors to new creative experiences. Besides, Cacao Barry® offers the widest international community of chocolate professionals, Ambassadors Club and Chocolate Academies to support craftsmen and chefs on their quest for perfection.
Cacao Barry® is a global Gourmet brand of Barry Callebaut, the world's leading manufacturer of high-quality cocoa and chocolate.

About Carma® (www.carma.ch):

Carma® was created in 1931 in Zurich by Carl Maentler, who decided to launch high quality ready-to-use products in order to facilitate the work of pastry chefs. For 80 years, Carma® has been recognized as a reference brand in the pastry and confectionery sectors as well as in the gastronomy, hotel, restaurant and catering sector (HORECA). Thanks to its successful expansion and increasing demand, Carma® is exported to a broad customer base around the world. Today, Carma® is the Swiss Gourmet brand of Barry Callebaut, the world's leading manufacturer of high-quality cocoa and chocolate.

Barry Callebaut (www.barry-callebaut.com):

With annual sales of about CHF 4.8 billion (EUR 4.0 billion / USD 5.2 billion) for fiscal year 2011/12, Zurich-based Barry Callebaut is the world's leading manufacturer of high-quality cocoa and chocolate – from the cocoa bean to the finest chocolate product. Barry Callebaut is present in 30 countries, operates around 45 production facilities and employs a diverse and dedicated workforce of about 6,000 people. Barry Callebaut serves the entire food industry focusing on industrial food manufacturers, artisans and professional users of chocolate (such as chocolatiers, pastry chefs or bakers), the latter with its two global brands Callebaut® and Cacao Barry®. Barry Callebaut is the global leader in cocoa and chocolate innovations and provides a comprehensive range of services in the fields of product development, processing, training and marketing. Cost leadership is another important reason why global as well as local food manufacturers work together with Barry Callebaut. Through its broad range of sustainability initiatives and research activities, the company works with farmers, farmer organizations and other partners to help ensure future supplies of cocoa and improve farmer livelihoods.