LONDON: 12th February 2009

ANNOUNCING THE WINNERS OF THE 2009 ACADEMY OF CHOCOLATE AWARDS

The Academy of Chocolate Awards, now in their 4th year are an important event in the International chocolate calendar.

Italian chocolate maker Amedei once again tops the 'bean to bar' category including winning the Golden Bean award for their No 9 Blend. However, US newcomer, Amano also won gold in the same category, hugely impressing the judges. Based in Utah, Amano began making chocolate in 2006 after spending time in Europe and studying cocoa and chocolate in Mexico and South America where it originated.

The award for best UK chocolatier, sponsored by Quinta Do Noval Port, once again goes to William Curley. William has won 6 Golds in this year’s awards and has consistently maintained the quality of his products since he opened his shop in Richmond in 2004. William Curley does especially well in the filled chocolate category with Golds for his 'Amedei chuao', 'Toasted sesame', 'Japanese black vinegar' and 'Rosemary & olive oil chocolates'. Other big winners who picked up 2 Golds each are French chocolate houses Valrhona and Pralus and London based Rococo and Paul a Young Fine Chocolates. Other Golds went to London based Paul Wayne Gregory and Sir Hans Sloane, and regional UK companies Chococo (Swanage) and Co Couture (N Ireland).

The 14 categories in the Academy of Chocolate Awards include ‘best chocolate makers bar’, ‘best ganache filled chocolate’, ‘best flavoured bar’ categories, ‘best truffle’, ‘best organic’ categories and ‘best drinking chocolate’. In keeping with the aims of the Academy, criteria for the awards are that products must contain natural ingredients with no artificial flavourings or colourings. For the first time this year the Academy have also introduced a best packaging award.

The Awards received a record number of entries with over 400 products. As a result the judging was extended to 4 days, and there were more judges than ever – a minimum of 25 on each day. Judges included chocolate experts and buyers, pastry chefs, food professionals and food journalists including Chloe Doutre Roussel, Benoit Blin from Le Manoir, Gearoid Devaney from Tom Aikens, Shaun Hill from The Walnut Tree Inn, Charles Campion, Nigel Barden, Bill Buckley, Glynn Christian and Henrietta Green.

There were an increased number of entries in the bean to bar category indicating that more chocolate makers are entering the Awards.

Entries from outside the UK equalled the number of UK entries, demonstrating the internationally recognition of the Awards. Entries were received from the USA, Europe; Italy, France, Hungary, Belgium, Switzerland, Sweden and Norway.

The Academy of Chocolate was created in 2005 by 5 of Britain’s leading chocolate professionals, united in the belief that chocolate is one of life’s great pleasures. Membership has since grown but the aim remains the same, to campaign for better chocolate and promote a greater awareness between fine chocolate and mass-produced chocolate confectionery.

Results:

The Golden Bean. Best bean to bar dark

  • THE GOLDEN BEAN Amedei - No 9
  • Gold Amedei - Porcelana
  • Gold Amano - Madagascar
  • Gold Amedei - Toscano Black 70%
  • Gold Valrhona - Manjari
  • Silver Domori - Il Blend
  • Silver Domori - Teyuna
  • Silver Amano - Montanya
  • Silver Amedei - Toscano Black 63%
  • Silver Amano - Ocumare
  • Bronze Domori - Puertomar
  • Bronze Domori - Puertofino
  • Bronze Valrhona - Caraďbe
  • Bronze Amano - Jembrana
  • Bronze Amedei - Toscano Black 66%

Best House Dark Chocolate Bar

Best Flavoured Dark Chocolate Bar

  • Gold Valrhona – Manjari orange
  • Gold Paul A Young Fine Chocolates - Black Cardamom and stem ginger
  • Silver Beschle – Grand Cru Trinitario au Fleur de Sel et Pistaches
  • Silver Oberweis – Cumin & Pistachio
  • Bronze Valrhona – Guanaja grue
  • Bronze Thorntons – Macadamia
  • Bronze Amedei – Extra dark chocolate bar with avola almonds
  • Bronze Co Couture – Rum & raisin blend II

Best Milk Chocolate Bar

  • Silver Theo – Jane Goodall 45%
  • Silver Michel Cluizel – Grand Lait 45%
  • Bronze Michel Cluizel – Mangaro Lait
  • Bronze Amedei – For You ‘Gocce Cioccolato Al Latte’
  • Bronze Thorntons – Venezuelan 38%
  • Bronze Amano – Ocumare Milk Chocolate

Best Flavoured Milk Chocolate Bar

  • Gold Amedei – Milk chocolate with hazelnuts
  • Gold Co Couture – Honeycomb, blend IV
  • Gold Sir Hans Sloane – Mandarin cranberry
  • Silver Thorntons – Tonka Bean
  • Bronze Domori – Latte sal
  • Bronze Paul a Young Fine Chocolates – stem ginger with fennel seed
  • Bronze Kaoka – 32% Milk with caramelised almond pieces
  • Silver Theo – Jane Goodall 45%
  • Silver Michel Cluizel – Grand Lait 45%
  • Bronze Michel Cluizel – Mangaro Lait
  • Bronze Amedei – For You ‘Gocce Cioccolato Al Latte’
  • Bronze Thorntons – Venezuelan 38%
  • Bronze Amano – Ocumare Milk Chocolate

Best Ganache filled chocolate – flavoured or plain

  • Gold William Curley – Amedei Chuao
  • Gold William Curley – Toasted sesame
  • Gold William Curley – Japanese black vinegar
  • Gold Chococo – Gorgeous ginger
  • Gold William Curley – Rosemary & olive oil
  • Gold Paul Wayne Gregory – Coconut bonbon
  • Gold Rococo – Passion fruit & mango
  • Gold Rococo – Rose & Lychee
  • Silver Paul a Young Fine Chocolates – 10yr Glenmorangie
  • Silver Paul Wayne Gregory – Salted caramel bonbon
  • Silver Melt Chocolates – Peanut butter and raspberry
  • Silver Auberge du Chocolat – Spices
  • Silver Hotel Chocolat – Caribbean rum ganache
  • Silver Rózsavölgyi Csokoládé – Ancho chilli and lemon oil
  • Silver Hotel Chocolat – Caribbean fruit ganache
  • Silver Paul Wayne Gregory – A hint of liquorice bonbon
  • Silver Melt Chocolates – Olive oil caramel
  • Silver William Curley – Framboise
  • Silver Jean-Paul Hevin – 1502
  • Silver Cocomaya – Pomegranate
  • Bronze Paul a Young Fine Chocolates – Sichuan pepper & mango
  • Bronze De Bondt Paul – Lemon
  • Bronze Prestat – Strawberry
  • Bronze Theo – Rum raisin
  • Bronze Melt Chocolates – Banana, coconut & passion fruit
  • Bronze Cocomaya – Assam chai
  • Bronze Rozsavologyi csokolade – Raspberry & cherry palinka

Best Filled Praline or Bonbon

  • Gold Pralus – Barre Infernale Lait
  • Silver Sir Hans Sloane – Coffee
  • Silver Sir Hans Sloane – Roasted almond
  • Silver William Curley – Sea salt caramel
  • Silver William Curley Piemont hazelnut
  • Silver Paul a Young Fine Chocolates – sea salted almond rocher
  • Bronze De Bondt Paul – Hazelnut praline
  • Bronze Booja Booja – Hazelnut crunch truffle
  • Bronze Sir Hans Sloane – Almond

Best Dark Truffle (unflavoured)

  • Gold William Curley – House dark
  • Silver Paul a Young Fine Chocolates – 70% Chuao
  • Bronze Paul a Young Fine Chocolates - Los Ancones truffle 67%
  • Bronze Lauden – House dark truffle
  • Bronze Sir Hans Sloane – Dark truffle
  • Bronze Rococo – House truffle

Best Milk Truffle (unflavoured)

  • Silver Sir Hans Sloane – Milk truffle
  • Silver William Curley – House milk

Best Dark Organic Chocolate Bar

  • Silver Pralus – Le 100%
  • Bronze Valrhona – Cao Grande Dark

Best Milk Organic Chocolate Bar

  • No awards given

Best Drinking Chocolate (unflavoured)

  • Gold Paul a Young Fine Chocolates – Aztec drinking chocolate
  • Gold Pralus – Cacao show drinking chocolate
  • Silver Bonnat – Copeaux 100%
  • Silver William Curley – house blend
  • Silver Bonnat – Tablette ŕ Cuire
  • Bronze Rococo – house blend
  • Bronze Sir Hans Sloane – Dark drinking chocolate
  • Bronze Bonnat – Copeaux 80%
  • Best Drinking Chocolate (flavoured)
  • Bronze Amedei – Chocolate in tazza

Best Packaging

  • Gold Tcho – 6 bar gift box
  • Silver Rococo – Round box
  • Bronze La Molina – The cretti book

List of Judges for 2009 Awards

AoC Members

CHOCOLATE MAKERS and CHEFS and Industry PROFESSIONALS

PRESS

If you’re interested in receiving more information please contact kate@nudgepr.co.uk . Also visit www.academyofchocolate.org.uk