This year’s Salon du Chocolat will feature Saudi Arabia as the country of honour. Thanks to its culturally vast gastronomic heritage, you’ll have the opportunity to take an express trip to the Middle East.
The country will be bringing its own special touch to the show, with saudi chocolate producers, demonstrations at the Pastry Show and surprising creations whose beauty you’ll just have to see for yourself.
This flavour-filled showcase reinforces the unifying character of the event, and the desire to make it a genuine place for the transmission of cultures and know-how from all over the world.
AMATEUR COMPETITION
With family or friends… pastry and cooking enthusiasts are invited to take up the FAMILY CAKE challenge at the Salon du Chocolat.
This exciting competition invites amateurs to present their creations as a duo in front of the general public and a panel of esteemed experts.
To honour Saudi Arabia, this FAMILY CAKE must include one of the country’s agricultural treasures: dates.
Emblematic symbols of Saudi culture and history, dates are much more than just a fruit in this part of the world.
Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s largest producers of dates, with an impressive diversity of varieties, each with its own distinctive flavours and characteristics.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
When ?
Friday, November 1: Family duets
Saturday, November 2: Friends duet
Maximum 4 amateur duets per competition. Participants must be aged 18 or over.
The challenge
Amateur entrants will be asked to make 2 creations of their choice for 6 people. The maximum size allowed is 15 cm x 20 cm.
All preparations must be made on the spot, without any freezing step, and cold bombs are strictly forbidden.
The challenge lasts 4 hours and starts at 10.30am. The desserts must be presented to the jury by 2.30pm at the latest. Dates will be provided.
The jury
The jury will be chaired by an eminent Saudi personality. The jury will be made up of experts, pastry chefs and/or media representatives.
MEET THE SAUDI CHEFS
You’ll be able to watch live demonstrations by Saudi pastry chefs, highlighting the art and tradition of Saudi pastry-making. A unique opportunity to discover the techniques, ingredients and passion that drive Saudi Arabia’s pastry masters.
Two Chefs will be on stage for the Pastry Show :
Sultan Alarifi
He graduated from King Saud University with a major in Finance and became a banker. Recognizing that product creation in the food and beverage sector extends beyond product quality and freshness, and also requires financial understanding to produce successful and creative recipes, he sought to combine his expertise in finance with his culinary passion.
Believing in the lifelong pursuit of education, he proudly completed six Masterclasses with world-class chefs in the culinary industry and earned a Grand Diploma in French cuisine and pastry to further his passion. In September 2023, he embarked on a transformative culinary journey at Le Cordon Bleu Paris, pursuing the Grand Diplôme in French cuisine and pastry. Over the course of an intensive year, he honed his skills under the guidance of world-class chefs. By September 2024, he graduated with a deep understanding of classical techniques in both cuisine and pastry, ready to bring his passion and expertise to the culinary world. He also enrolled in a three-month program at the Culinary Arts Incubator as part of the Culinary Arts Commission initiative.
Abdualltef Alrashoudi
Founder, Baker & Cake Maker at Lâm Born in Riyadh and a surgeon by training, Abdualltef, ‘Latif’, Alrashoudi decided in 2019 to change careers and follow his culinary passion all the way to France. Lam is a love letter to his home country, and his family and friends who have always supported and inspired him. Open since October of 2023, the concept and soul of Lâm is the culmination of his years of study, work and life experiences ‘Lâm’ The choice of the name ‘Lâm’ was sentimentally significant for several reasons.
Latif wanted a name that proudly reflected his arabic origins, therefore a letter from the arabic alphabet felt like the perfect way to pay hommage. Additionally, the pronounciation of Lâm is identical to that of ”l’âme” in French, which translates to “soul”. Latif pours his soul into every new recipe and dish he creates, and feels strongly this results in a better product, so the phonetic alignment is beautifully symbolic for him.
