Head Pastry Chef, Szilard Szentesi of Cameron House has been awarded 2023 winner of the Valrhona Cercle V challenge for the UK.
Competing against some of the world’s finest pastry chefs and chocolatiers, Szilard’s seasonal creation ‘Autumn Harmony’ scooped the accolade and is inspired by the transition from autumn to winter.
The dessert features rich, intense chocolates, accompanied by an whisky ice cream, caramel sauce, flavours of smoke and spice and paired with a chocolate ganache, all paying homage to Scotland.
Originally from Hungary, Szilard moved to Scotland more than a decade ago where he took a position as Chef De Partie at St Andrew’s Links, before going on to work for four years at The Gleneagles Hotel as Senior Chef De Partie.
Szilard joined Cameron House in 2021, beginning a new chapter for desserts and confectionery at the resort. Appointed as Head Pastry Chef in March 2022, one of Szilard’s core focuses is centralising the dessert, pastry and sweet goods offering and incorporating it into all aspects of guests’ experience – from showstopping creations in guest rooms upon arrival, to the freshest of breakfast pastries.
Jessica McKechnie, one of Szilard’s mentees, has also enjoyed great success as she won ‘Dessert Chef of The Year’ at the recent Master Chefs of Great Britain Awards. Jessica impressed judges with two mouth-watering creations: a chocolate, hazelnut and pear tart complete with a spiced pear caramel and praline mousse, followed by a blackberry and coconut panna cotta with a delicate coconut tuille.