MAHO--Chocolate fans viewed professional artistic chocolate creations, learned different techniques from pastry chefs, and some tried a hand at making roses out of moulding chocolate at the Caribbean Chocolate Festival over the weekend at Sonesta Maho Beach Resort and Casino, although there was a smaller turnout than expected.
The festival kicked off with a fashion show featuring models in chocolate-studded dresses and chocolate-coated accessories and continued into the weekend with chocolate themed entertainment and various demonstrations.
Although the plan had been to include live professional competitions and showcase local, regional and international pastry chefs with emphasis on local St. Maarten chefs, festival director Karl Bourne said in an invited comment that it was difficult to find pastry chefs/chocolatiers locally, except for those at Sonesta.
This is the first time the festival has been featured in St. Maarten, and the audience was not as big as it was in Barbados in March. Bourne said that next year would likely be better, although shorter, and should feature more regional chefs, including chefs from Anguilla and Antigua who he has already spoken with.
Three Sonesta pastry chefs, Noel Medina, Stacey Mardenborough and Executive Chef Misja Ruijs joined the fest, and put two centrepieces on show.
Featured Executive Chef Veejoruth Purmessur and pastry chef Ronald Estephane, based in St. Lucia, took the main stage in showcasing a number of large, detailed centrepieces incorporating a variety of shapes including spheres, flowers, birds and aquatic life. They also made mouse, chocolate drinks and truffles, amongst other items for sampling.
Attendees showed interest in the different demonstrations, and Purmessur later said that the idea was to show the possibilities, and also how chocolate is transformed from the bean to the final product.
Estephane, who handmade many of the flowers on display by carving a chocolate mould, taught the technique to attendees, and five attendees then competed to make the best chocolate flower. Three winners were announced, and all five received goodie bags with pastry items courtesy of a main sponsor, Albert Uster.
Two lucky raffle winners, Ruby Wilson and Danischa Romberg, also received a year’s worth of free gasoline from Sol gas station, and a weekend for two at Sonesta Great Bay respectively.
