Top three place for Reece Hunt in Student Chocolatier Of The Year competiton

Reece Hunt’s World Cup chocolate centre piece

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Chocolate loving teenager Reece Hunt melted, tempered and sculpted his way to a top three place in a national chocolate competition earlier this month – and used red roses as his main decoration.

The 19-year-old catering student from is no stranger to awards – he entered the annual Keylink Student Chocolatier Of The Year competiton hot on the heels of scooping second place in the Kikkoman soy sauce culinary competition.

Students competing in the Keylink Student Chocolatier Of The Year competiton had to create 12 hand dipped/rolled truffles, 20 moulded chocolate pralines, a plated desert and, the pièce de résistance, a 30-60cm tall chocolate ‘Summer’ themed centrepiece – all within five hours! Their work was judged on taste, balance of flavours, texture, appearance, working methods, skills demonstrated, originality and timing.

Reece paid homage to Lancashire with his summer fruit filled chocolate pralines and plated desert as they were adorned with chocolate discs featuring red roses representing the iconic Lancashire Rose. He chose the World Cup as his inspiration for the ‘Summer’ themed chocolate centrepiece and created a football in an outstretched hand (modelled on Reece’s own hand) and a World Cup trophy – all crafted out of chocolate.

Reece was thrilled to win a training day at the world famous chocolate academy, Callebaut, cookery books and an i-tunes voucher and commented: “I’m very proud of myself. It was a great experience, I learnt and saw so many new techniques this is definitely the road I wish to pursue.

"I must thank my tutor and mentor Bryan Townson as he has been so inspirational and encouraging. This has been a great year.”.

College tutor Bryan Townson added: “Reece worked very hard and has shown enthusiasm all through the year. We’re really proud of his achievements."