Pastry Chefs From the White House, Walt Disney and the Food Network to Judge 27th Annual U.S. Pastry Competition; Magic & Illusions Is Theme

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - Feb 3, 2016) - Rising stars of the pastry world will compete for the coveted title of Pastry Chef of the Year at Paris Gourmet's U.S. Pastry Competition taking place at the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York on Sunday, March 6 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. The theme for the 2016 competition is Magic & Illusions and new for this year with be The Junior Competition where six finalists from four culinary schools will compete alongside the professionals. The showpieces will be judged starting at 10:00 am, with the awards ceremony at 4:00 pm. All attendees are invited to see the illustrious showpieces created by America's leading pastry chefs throughout the duration of the Show.

"We are thrilled to be hosting the 27th annual Pastry Chef of the Year Competition and the new Junior Competition at the upcoming International Restaurant Show," said Ron Mathews, Vice President for the Urban Expositions Family of Foodservice Events. "This special event has consistently been a highlight on the show floor, and we look forward to welcoming such an esteemed panel of judges to critque and select the next Pastry Chef of the Year."

The U.S. Pastry Competition is America's most prestigious pastry competition. The event allows leading pastry chefs to showcase their talents by creating advanced dessert and chocolate bonbon recipes exhibited along with highly technical sugar and chocolate sculpted showpieces. Board members of the Societe Culinaire Philanthropique, one of the oldest and most prestigious chef associations in the world, will preside over the judging procedures. Contest awards will total over $10,000. Judges represent L'Auberge Casino Resort, Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Resort, CupCake Wars, Lincoln Ristorante, Institute of Culinary Education, Restaurant Daniel, Norman Love Confections, Mandalay Bay Casino Resort, Pasticceria Bruno, The White House, Chocolate Fashion, Ritz Carlton Hotel Grande Lakes, Helms Bakery, and The Langham Hotel.

New this year will be the Junior Competition which will consist of 6 finalists (4 schools) who qualified by participating in preliminary try-outs at their respective schools conducted by professors/deans in pastry programs. The junior competition will use the same criteria of the professional division, respecting the theme, Magic and Illusion but instead of making full scale chocolate and sugar sculptures, the junior competitors are required to make smaller table amenity chocolate centerpieces. As with the pros, the juniors will create a plated dessert, live, but instead of chocolate bonbons they will present petit-fours to the jury panel and will be judged right along with the pros, by the same esteemed panel of jurors.

The event is hosted by Paris Gourmet, a leading specialty food importer and distributor sourcing products worldwide with service throughout North America. The event is co-sponsored by Cacao Noel Chocolate, Pastry 1 (pastry ingredients), Beurremont Butter, Gourmand and Maison de Choix. For more information, visit www.parisgourmet.com.

The 23rd Annual International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York will bring together thousands of foodservice, restaurant and hospitality professionals from New York State, and will feature more than 550 leading vendors. The event is sponsored by the New York State Restaurant Association (NYSRA) and produced by Urban Expositions. The show will be held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City, March 6 - 8, 2016. To learn more, visit http://www.internationalrestaurantny.com.