Chef Justin Fry of Norman Love Confections 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 & Food Service Show of New York on Sunday, March 6 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. The theme for the 2016 competition is Magic & Illusions. With a few tricks up his sleeve, Fry has created a classic magician sculpture in preparation for the competition. In addition to the showpiece, he will present artisan chocolates, a plated dessert and a cake.
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 $10,000.00.
Founded in 2001 by Norman and Mary Love, Norman Love Confections creates and distributes handcrafted artisanal chocolates from its corporate headquarters at 11380 Lindbergh Blvd. in Fort Myers. The award-winning Fort Myers-based chocolatier has been lauded more than a dozen times by a leading consumer ratings magazine, including recognition six times for producing the best ultra-premium chocolates in the nation. Forbes.com included Norman Love Confections BLACK line on its list of the nation’s top 10 truffles; The Huffington Post listed it among the six best U.S. destinations in its Chocolate Lover’s Travel Guide; and USA Today named Love as one of its top 10 entrepreneurs for 2014. Love has recently been named as the inaugural inductee of Dessert Professional Magazine’s Chocolatier Hall of Fame, partnered with local chefs to present a six-course meal at the James Beard House in New York and Norman Love Confections was ranked among the top 10 shops in the world for chocolate lovers by U.K. media outlet Daily Telegraph.
Norman Love Confections has Chocolate Salons in Fort Myers, Estero and Naples, and Artisan Gelato by Norman Love is next door to the Fort Myers salon, off Daniels Parkway east of I-75. Chocolates, gift baskets, sipping chocolate and Love’s book, “Artistry in Chocolate, A Story of Love,” also can be ordered online at www.normanloveconfections.com. In addition, Norman Love Confections chocolates and desserts are offered on 18 Princess Cruises’ ships through the “Chocolate Journeys” partnership and at independent retail locations throughout the U.S. For more information visit www.normanloveconfections.com or call 239-561-7215.
