The first stage of the trip to Paris was via Zurich, which is where the Swiss Championships took place in the fall of 2017. This preselection involved a number of strong competitors, which Elias was thrilled to be part of.

Practice. Practice. Practice. And then start all over again. Elias Läderach spent every day of the summer weeks in 2018 at the factory in Glarnerland - these were long days spent to perfect his art.

Arrival in Paris, with only a few days left before the competition. The team is on its way to the Salon du Chocolat – the venue for the World Chocolate Masters 2018.

The first round – straight into the freestyle activity. The task was to create a futuristic showpiece made entirely of chocolate, which demanded complete and utter concentration.

The second round – it was important to move up a gear after a successful first day. There were three items to create now: a bar of chocolate, a snack to go, and candy.

Elias Läderach succeeded where no one had succeeded before: he won four of the six disciplines and, to top it all, received the coveted press award.