Vallflorida pastry shop does a double and wins both awards for the best panettone of 2023

Unusual event in the competition for the Best Artisan Panettone in the State 2023. For the first time, a master pastry chef has emerged victorious in both categories into which the contest is divided: best traditional or fruit panettone and best chocolate panettone. The double win was achieved by Lluís Costa, from the Vallflorida Xocolaters pastry shop in Sant Esteve de Palautordera (Barcelona), a young professional born in 1987 who had previously won the award for Best Artisan Butter Croissant, in the 2015 edition.

Costa was deeply moved during the awards ceremony for the two accolades, which took place this Tuesday night within the framework of the Gastronomic Forum Barcelona. "I want to thank my family and my team for all the effort they have made over all these years to get here; without a team, it's not possible to do anything. Now a lot of work is coming our way, but we are going to fight and do everything necessary to reach everyone with our panettones," Costa highlighted after receiving the double award.

Vallflorida Xocolaters surpassed the nearly 80 artisan masters who participated in this year's competition, organized by the Pastry School of the Barcelona Guild (EPGB). In past editions, L'Atelier Barcelona and Panes Creativos (2022), Dulce par Yan Duytsche (Sant Cugat) and Cal Jan (Torredembarra and Tarragona) (2021), Xocosave (2020), Cloudstreet (2019), Ochiai (2018), Oriol Balaguer (2017) and Dulce Par Yann Duytshche (2016) were awarded.

Lluís Costa (1987), was born into a family of pastry chefs and, at 16, was already working in the family business, the Vallflorida pastry shop. Founded by his father, it has been, for more than 30 years, a benchmark in El Montseny for its artisanal chocolate creations in tiles and nougats with innovative flavors, for its traditional cakes modernized with new techniques and decorations, and for its bean to bar chocolate line. And, also, for its artisan butter croissants or those filled with chocolate, mascarpone, raspberry, pastry cream with cinnamon, vanilla and lemon, etc.

Costa trained at the Barcelona Pastry School and with great names such as Carles Mampel (Bubó Pastries) or master chocolatier Lluís Morera (Brescó Chocolates from Benabarre) and has collaborated with the Adrià brothers. He is also a member of Col·lectiu 21 Brix, an association of young pastry chefs with innovative proposals. His creativity and passion for artisan pastry have earned him several awards: 2nd Best Young Pastry Chef in the State (2010), 2nd Best Spanish Chocolatier (2010), Best Young Food Artisan 2012, Best Artisan Butter Croissant in the State 2015 and Best Tea Pastry in Spain 2018.

The jury of the VIII Best Artisan Panettone in the State 2023 Contest has taken into account aspects such as the taste, smell, crumb structure and shape of the panettone. Its members include prominent professionals in the sector such as Iban Yarza, Xavier Barriga, Georgina Crespo or the winners of the 2022 edition: Eric Ortuño (L'Atelier Barcelona) and Daniel Jordà (Panes Creativos). To enter the contest, panettones had to weigh between 1,050 and 1,150 grams.