Chef Jacquy Pfeiffer Presented with Lifetime Achievement Award from the Fine Chocolate Industry Association

GMC Breaking News

news2_march13 The steps to making decadent chocolates are many and varied: from harvesting the pods to designing tempting packaging that belies its rich, melt-in-your-mouth appeal. Every other year, the Fine Chocolate Industry Association (FCIA) hosts its Recognition of Excellence ceremony to award individuals and businesses that have contributed to this diverse community of chocolate makers.

On January 19, 2013, Chef Jacquy Pfeiffer received the FCIA’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his role in cofounding The French Pastry School of Kennedy-King College at City Colleges of Chicago and mentoring future generations of chocolatiers. Other honorees at the San Francisco ceremony included Santiago Peralta for Outstanding Fine Chocolate Maker; Andal Balu for Innovation in Fine Chocolate Products; and Mary Jo Stojak for Outstanding Service to the Industry.

The FCIA is a nonprofit organization founded by a group of chocolate professionals who wished to support the art of fine chocolate making by encouraging innovation, quality and best practices. They accomplish this through offering educational opportunities, effectively communicating values of artisan chocolate making and recognizing those who embody the highest standards. Recipients of these awards are nominated by peers from the chocolate industry and voted on by members of FCIA’s international organization.

Pfeiffer’s exceptional career has often highlighted the versatility of chocolate both as a candy and an art form. He has won honors at international competitions like Master of Chocolate, Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie, the National Pastry Championship and more. Pfeiffer was also featured in the 2009 documentary, “Kings of Pastry,” which tracked his experience in the Meilleurs Ouvriers de France and introduced the art of pastry and chocolate to an international audience.

Throughout his time as a chef instructor, he has influenced students from around the world, many of whom have gone one to open chocolate shops from Chicago to Las Vegas and beyond. For more about Pfeiffer, The French Pastry School’s full-time programs and alumni success stories, visit www.frenchpastryschool.com.