Two talented Galway pastry chefs — Juliette Simon of Grá Chocolates and Asia Mahealani McDonagh of Mahealani Pastries — have made it to the finals of the Irish Pâtisserie Championship.
Organised by Odaios Foods, Ireland’s leading foodservice and fine foods supplier, and sponsored by Valrhona Chocolate, the competition will push six shortlisted pastry chefs to their limits, culminating in an exciting finale at DNA ‘Pastry Unwrapped’ - the highly anticipated industry conference set for May 27 at TU Dublin’s Grangegorman campus.
Juliette and Asia will join finalists from Dublin, Kilkenny and Belfast to compete live at the conference, creating a plant-based café gourmandise dessert, a plated restaurant-style dessert, and a stunning chocolate showpiece.
The champion will benefit from an all-expenses-paid trip to Dubai, where they will have the opportunity to refine their pastry skills in the L’École Valrhona, alongside some of the world’s top pastry chefs — bringing back invaluable expertise to Ireland.
The finalists recently benefited from a chocolate masterclass with head chefs and chocolatiers Cyril Borie and Erik Van Der Veken of Odaios Foods Co-Lab Training Academy.
Cyril Borie, Co-Lab manager, highlighted the importance of the competition. “The Irish Pâtisserie Championship is a platform for emerging talent to showcase their skills at the highest level," he said. "We want to support all the finalists to set a high standard, to raise the bar and push the boundaries of pastry creativity. We would like to see Ireland compete on an international stage and gain recognition for innovative creative desserts. We are excited for the finalists to present their desserts at Pastry Unwrapped, where the world’s most celebrated chefs will be present.”
Originally from France, Juliette Simon has always been surrounded by cooking and baking at home which inspired her interest in pursuing the craft as a career. She began an apprenticeship in pastry back home 10 years ago, and is now a pâtissier at Grá Chocolates. She looks forward to continuing to work with chocolate and pâtisserie as her skillset grows.
Asia Mahealani McDonagh is also an experienced pastry chef with 10 years of training and working on her craft in Paris. She now lives in Galway with her husband where she has her own pâtisserie business, Mahealani Pastries, creating custom cakes and desserts.
Elevating Irish Pâtisserie at Pastry Unwrapped
Attracting some of the world’s most respected pastry chefs, including Colombian French food educator Charles Michel, renowned American pastry chef Kriss Harvey, innovative plant-based pastry chef and chocolatier, Marike Van Beurden, and French pâtisserie chef Johanna Le Pape, the Pastry Unwrapped industry gathering is expected to attract Irish and international chefs, food enthusiasts and leaders.
With a focus on balancing indulgence with sustainability, attendees will gain insights into new pastry techniques, reducing the carbon footprint of desserts, plant-based innovations, and how Ireland can position itself as a leader in modern pâtisserie.
“With the Pastry Unwrapped conference and the Irish Pâtisserie Championship, education is at the core," said Jason O’Brien, co-founder and director of Odaios Foods. "We are creating a space where pastry chefs can learn, compete, and innovate. We want to build an appreciation for and celebrate excellence in pastry. Connecting Ireland with international talent, is the best way to drive forward and elevate the future of the industry.”
For more information on the Irish Pâtisserie Championship and to book tickets for the DNA Pastry Unwrapped conference, visit www.dnaconference.ie
