Ben Christopherson of the University of West London has won the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts' Master of Culinary Arts in Pastry, one of the UK's top honours for chefs.

A pastry lecturer at the University of West London has won a top professional title for chefs. The university calls it one of the UK’s highest honours for chefs and hospitality professionals.

Ben Christopherson, Senior Lecturer in Patisserie and Confectionery at UWL’s London Geller College of Hospitality and Tourism, has been awarded the Master of Culinary Arts in Pastry. The title is given by the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts. He received it at the academy’s gala dinner at The Dorchester on 16 October.

The university announced the award on 5 November.

What he had to make

The award is decided by practical assessments. The university says the semi-final was an eight-hour exam in which he produced:

  • brioche
  • petit fours
  • a Charlotte à la russe cake
  • a chocolate showpiece

The final asked for a large croquembouche, a tower of 120 profiteroles, in a modern freeform design inspired by London Fashion Week. Alongside it he made an apple soufflé dish with nine elements, plus chocolate bars.

A student in the kitchen with him

His commis chef throughout was Charlotte Vicars, who studies for a BSc in Culinary Industry Management at UWL. Earlier this year he mentored her to the academy’s Award of Excellence.

“It’s extremely difficult to achieve this and it’s been hard work and stressful, but I’m so proud I’ve done it,” he said in the university’s announcement. “Charlotte did an amazing job of supporting me.”

He said he had learned from her too, because “she has different perspectives and has the confidence to make suggestions about how I could do things differently”.

What it means for you

UWL’s main Ealing campus is on St Mary’s Road. If you are thinking of training as a pastry chef, Ben Christopherson is one of the lecturers on its patisserie courses. The university has put highlights of the competition on YouTube, linked from its announcement, for anyone who wants to see the croquembouche being built.