Eight chocolatiers advance to the World Chocolate Masters 2026 superfinals

26/10/2026

ANTWERP, Belgium - 26 October 2026 — The first day of the World Chocolate Masters 2026 Grand Final has come to a close. After completing two of the competition’s four challenges, the jury has announced the eight superfinalists who will advance to the final day and continue their bid to become World Chocolate Master 2026.

The eight superfinalists are (in no particular order):

Łukasz Roguski (Poland)

Tommaso Grollero (Italy)

Samuel Fremaux (France)

Lyu Haoran (China)

Sanghwa Lee (South Korea)

Keita Koshimizu (Japan)

Kasper Kleihs (Nordic Countries)

Jérémy Monsel (North America)

The World Chocolate Masters, organized by Callebaut, is the world’s premier global competition dedicated to chocolate artistry and innovation. Held every three years, it brings together 15 regional champions to test their craft and explore what chocolate might become. This year’s Grand Final is taking place at Antwerp’s historic Handelsbeurs under the theme “Play & Taste,” which challenges finalists to rethink how chocolate is experienced, with taste at the heart of creativity and innovation.

The day’s two challenges brought that theme to life in different ways. In “A Tale in Two,” finalists created two distinct bonbons, bringing flavor, texture, design and storytelling together. In “The Shape of Taste,” they used form, balance and craftsmanship to create sculptural works of art that communicate emotion.

“The standard of work we saw today was extraordinary, which made selecting eight superfinalists a genuinely difficult decision for the jury. Each of the 15 finalists brought remarkable skill, creativity and commitment to the challenges. The eight who advance have earned their place, and every finalist can be proud to represent the very best of chocolate craftsmanship on this global stage,” said Kirsten Tibballs, Head of Technical Evaluation for the World Chocolate Masters jury.

The eight superfinalists now turn their attention to the final two challenges. On Tuesday, “Taste” will challenge them to create a fresh chocolate pastry inspired by the movement and energy of Antwerp. In “Share,” they will develop an innovative gifting concept that brings craftsmanship and consumer appeal together. After two days of competition, the jury will select the chef whose work best expresses the future of chocolate through taste, creativity and craft.

The World Chocolate Master 2026 will be announced live on 27 October.

Watch the winner announcement on 27/10 live: https://www.worldchocolatemasters.com/final-2026