The renowned Carinthian chocolatier, committed Viennese vocational school teacher and entrepreneur Johannes Warmuth showed an impressive performance at the “World Chocolate Master Central Europe” and won the title of Austrian & German Chocolate Master secured.
This success qualifies him for the world finals in 2026, where the best chocolatiers worldwide will compete against each other. With creative interpretations and maximum precision, Warmuth prevailed against the strong competition in a three-day competition. The “World Chocolate Masters” is one of the most prestigious chocolate competitions in the world, where top chocolatiers from a total of 18 regions show off their skills.
With this year’s theme “Play” Creativity and playful concepts were required – a challenge that Warmuth took on with his attention to detail and ingenuity, using his adopted home of Vienna and the famous Schönbrunn Zoo as inspiration.
Outstanding chocolate creations in four categories
The competition demanded everything from the participants in four categories. In the first task “Share the Fun” Warmuth created the “Schönbrunner Hazelnutkiss”, a puzzle cake with six interlocking pieces. The innovative creation was crowned with a chocolate plate with a bronze-look chameleon and seduced the jury with an aroma of tangerine, fine chocolate and a crunchy hazelnut kernel – a distinctive treat for which Warmuth received top marks in this category. In the second category, the praline challenge “Play”Warmuth was inspired by the classic Tic Tac Toe. He developed pralines with a token look: Each praline showed a bird on one side and a chameleon on the other, offering a playful combination of appearance and taste that once again impressed the jury. The third category, that “Showpiece”placed the highest demands on craftsmanship. Warmuth created a spectacular chocolate chameleon terrarium that required no additional supports or materials and was designed to capture the vibrant scene of a terrarium. The innovative construction and artistic implementation helped him to another victory and the special prize for the most impressive display piece in the competition. In the fourth task “Pastry Play” Warmuth presented a dessert in a class of its own, a sophisticated composition of cherries, pine nuts, port wine and chocolate mousse. Particularly innovative was the use of a special foil that made the chocolate shimmer in rainbow colors – a subtle reference to the chameleon theme. Here too, he impressed the jury with his harmonious interplay of aromas, perfection and cleanliness in execution.
Sustainability and regionality in focus
On the last day of the competition, the finalists presented their overall ideas and concepts. Warmuth emphasized the use of regional raw materials such as Carinthian milk and Marchfeld saffron, which he cleverly integrated into his chocolate works of art. Through this regional connection and his homage to the Schönbrunn Zoo, Warmuth brought Austria into the competition with style and authenticity and made a lasting impression on the jury. With his victory at the Central European Chocolate Master, Johannes Warmuth has secured a place among the international chocolatier elite and demonstrated how modern interpretation of tradition and craftsmanship precision work together. His performance is also proof of the high Quality the Training in Austria – both in vocational schools and in training companies such as the Hotel Hochschober and the Semmelrock pastry shop, which support Warmuth on his way.
The journey continues, in 2026 Warmuth will be in the final of the World Chocolate Masters Represent Austria and Germany and present his chocolate art to a global audience.
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