Autobiography

Author
Best-selling author of the BBC Crème de la Crème recipe book.

Expert Consultant for the BBC television series Bake Off: Crème de la Crème Series 1 and 2, Martin supported the format from concept through to execution, including candidate interviews, kitchen planning and design, equipment and ingredient selection, editorial support, pastry and display samples, hero creations, and live filmed work across the series, including special filming for the opening introduction and main title sequence.

CHIFFERS
Martin Chiffers, International Pastry Consultant, is a renowned international judge, Head Judge for Afternoon Tea UK, and highly respected coach, demonstrator, and consultant, working with some of the world’s leading chefs, luxury hotels, high-end resorts, restaurants, boutiques, and premium food and chocolate businesses worldwide.

Across more than four decades, Martin Chiffers has built an exceptional international career, distinguished by over 60 major awards, honours, titles, competition results, and coaching achievements in pastry and chocolate.

Among his most recent achievements, Martin was Team Captain and Chocolate Candidate for the UK at the prestigious Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie in Lyon, where the team ranked 4th in the World in 2023. His chocolate showpiece, depicting climate change, ranked 3rd overall in the World chocolate showpiece results. Appointed again in 2025 as President and Coach, Martin guided the UK team to a Top 5 finish at the European Pastry Cup in Paris in January 2026. He now continues to lead and support the UK team and will return to the World Pastry Cup for the 5th time in 2027.

With more than 40 years of experience at the highest level of hospitality, Martin Chiffers has built an international career across some of the world’s most prestigious hotels and major food and beverage operations in London, Singapore, Korea, and Dubai. His 12 years working across Asia and the Middle East gave him deep insight into international cuisines, regional pâtisserie, evolving market trends, and the development and leadership of large-scale pastry operations.

Throughout his career, Martin has directed major pastry kitchens, in-house and off-site bakeries, and deli operations, overseeing the full in-house production of a wide range of products, including artisan breads, Asian bakery items, fine pâtisserie, plated desserts, confectionery, and chocolate work.

His repertoire spans every level of pastry craftsmanship, from breads and viennoiserie to pralines, plated desserts, luxury pâtisserie, and spectacular competition showpieces. With a particular mastery of cooked and pulled sugar and chocolate artistry, Martin has earned numerous gold medals at leading international culinary competitions in the UK, France, Switzerland, the United States, Singapore, Dubai, and at the Culinary Olympics in Luxembourg.

From 2011 to 2017, Martin served as President and Coach of the UK Pastry Team for the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie. During this period, his team won the European Pastry Cup twice, in 2012 and 2014, held in Paris and Geneva, achieving Best Sugar Piece, Best Chocolate Piece, and the highest overall points across all categories consecutively.

With World rankings of 9th, 6th, 8th and 5th in 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019, including Best Sugar in the 2017 Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie Final, Martin has established a reputation for leading teams to some of the UK’s strongest results and most respected achievements in international pastry competition.

In 2018, Martin was appointed President of Honour at the European Pastry Cup in Italy and later supported the UK team as Coach for the 2019 World Final, where the team ranked 5th in the World and received the Best Sugar Prize. He continued to coach and support the UK team before returning as Team Captain in the 2023 Final.

Beyond the UK, Martin has also supported and coached international teams and elite competitors. In 2018, he coached Team Chile and Hans Ovando, winners of the Copa Maya in Mexico, as well as Norway’s Best Chocolate Showpiece at the Nordic Cup. At the same time, he coached Team India for the Asian Pastry Cup, where they ranked 5th in Singapore.

In 2017, Martin was awarded Best Showpiece at the UK World Chocolate Masters for his AI-themed chocolate sculpture, Shushan from the Future – The Futropolis, a striking and highly acclaimed contemporary creation.

In 2018, Martin also coached Barry Johnson to 8th place at the World Chocolate Masters in Paris. He was also coach to Ruth Hinks, UK World Chocolate Master 2013, guiding her to a Top 5 finish at the World Chocolate Masters Final in Paris in October 2013 — the highest ever result for the UK at that time.

In 2010, Martin was awarded Middle East Pastry Chef of the Year at The Caterer Awards, recognising him as the leading pastry chef across the GCC, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

A renowned International judge & head Judge for Afternoon Tea UK, Active Coach and Demonstrator & International Pastry Consultant for local & international Competitions & Chefs, Restaurants, Hotels, Shops and other food and chocolate businesses around the World.

What I Do Now:
Available for: Masterclasses, demonstrations, coaching, training, team building, bespoke creations, chocolate sculpture, judging, speaking engagements, openings, menu creation, food photography, collaborations, partnerships, branding, recipe testing, and product development.

Martin regularly teaches and travels internationally, sharing his skills, knowledge, and experience with chefs, pastry professionals, academies, and schools across the world.

Academy & Schools

SCHOOLS & ACADEMY’S:

• Academy of Culinary Arts – HRC Culinary Academy
• Bread Ahead, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
• The Chocolate Academy, UK & Dubai
• Fully Baked Story, Bangkok
• Bake & Artisan, Jakarta
• L’Atelier by Eustralis, Australia
• Academy Pastry Arts, Malaysia / India
• Pastry Academy, Bulgaria
• Chef Workshop Consulting Pro, Greece
• Pfersich Trend Forum, Germany
• The Galley Gang, Palma / Antibes
• The Taste Lab, London

Including: Saudi Arabia, Albania, Laos, Vietnam, Sweden, Norway, Macedonia, and Serbia.

• Coach & Jury: European Pastry Cup 2026 – Top 5 and qualified for the World Pastry Cup 2027
• Head Judge – The Chefs’ Forum Student Pastry Chef of the Year 2026
• Coaching MOF Semi Final Selection 2026 – Nicolas Houchet, Executive Pastry Chef, The Savoy Hotel London – Qualified MOF Finalist
• Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking TV Show, Season 2 – Chocolate Expert, 2025
• Judge – Cake International 2025
• Head Judge – Afternoon Tea Awards, 2017–2026
• Head Judge – The Chefs’ Forum Student Pastry Chef of the Year 2025
• Support Coach – Team Egypt, Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie, Lyon 2025
• Coach – Biorest Cup Sofia, Bulgaria – Winners 2024 – Pavel Pavlov & Mariya Sbirkova, Team La Fève
• Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking TV Show, Season 1 – Chocolate Expert, 2024
• BTV Bulgaria (Prediobed / Before Noon) – Cooking Demo and Interview, 2024
• Coach – Bake Off: The Professionals Winners 2024 – Tanuj Sharma and Narayan Shrestha, InterContinental London – The O2
• Coach – Bake Off: The Professionals Finalists 2024 – Gerol Nulud and Michael Dutnall, Royal Air Force Club
• Team Captain & Chocolate Candidate – Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie, Lyon – 4th Place, 2023, with 3rd Best Chocolate Showpiece in the World results
• Coach – Bake Off: The Professionals Winners 2023 – Mauro Di Lieto & Daniel Schevenels, The Landmark Hotel London
• Support Coach – UK Pastry Team, European Pastry Cup Paris 2022 – 1st Place Winners
• Coach – Hans Ovando, Be Chef Pastry School, Barcelona – Winner, Best Master Artisan Pastry Chefs of Spain (MMAPE), Madrid 2022, plus 3 Best Category Awards
• Coach – Albert Roca, Sant Croi, Madrid Intersicop – Winner, Best Ice Cream Maker of Spain 2022
• Coach – Toni Rodríguez, Toni Rodriguez Academy, Barcelona – MMAPE Madrid 2022, Best Bonbons Category
• Coach – Stephen Trigg, Lauden Chocolate UK & Ireland World Chocolate Masters Selection – 1st Place
• Support Coach – UK Pastry Team, Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie, Lyon – 4th Place, 2021
• Support Coach – UK Pastry Team, Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie, Lyon – 5th Place, Best Sugar Showpiece Award, 2019
• Coach – UK World Chocolate Masters Candidate, Paris – Winner Best Travel Cake, 8th Place in the World, 2018
• President of Honour – European Pastry Cup, Torino, Italy, 2018
• Coach – Team Chile / Hans Ovando, Copa Maya, Mexico – Winners, 2018
• Coach – Team India, Asian Pastry Cup, Singapore – 5th Place, 2018
• Coach President – UK ranked 5th in the World, Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie, Lyon, 2017
• Best Showpiece – UK World Chocolate Masters, 2017
• Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie, Lyon – 8th Place, 2017
• Japan – Sold own-brand Valentine’s chocolates in Nagoya, Yokohama, Osaka, Tokyo, Shinjuku, Takashimaya, Hankyu, Isetan and Mitsukoshi department stores, February 2015
• UK President / Coach – UK Team, Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie, Lyon – 6th Place, highest ever result for the UK at that time, January 2015
• Japan – Sold own-brand CHIFFERS scones at Hankyu British Fair, Hakata / Osaka, October 2014
• Japan – Sold own-brand Valentine’s chocolates in Nagoya, Yokohama, Osaka, Tokyo, Nihonbashi, Takashimaya, Hankyu and Mitsukoshi department stores, February 2014
• Celebrity Judge & Demonstrator – World Pasty Championships, Eden Project, Cornwall, March 2013 / 2014
• Only UK pastry chef to win the European Pastry Cup twice consecutively, with Best Sugar Piece, Best Chocolate Piece, and highest points in all categories, 2012 & 2014
• UK President and Winners – European Pastry Cup, Geneva, January 2014
• Japan – Sold own-brand Valentine’s chocolates in Nagoya, Hiroshima, Takashimaya and Mitsukoshi Tokyo department stores, February 2013
• UK President Judge – UK Team, Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie, Lyon – 9th Place, January 2013
• Japan – Opened own-brand cake shop, Mitsukoshi Department Store, Ginza, Tokyo, November 21st 2012
• UK President Coach and Winners – European Pastry Cup, March 2012
• Best Sugar Showpiece – Team UK, March 2012
• Best Chocolate Showpiece – Team UK, March 2012
• Best Tasting – Team UK, March 2012
• Elected President – UK Pastry Team, Coupe du Monde, October 2011
• Winner – The Caterer Awards, Middle East Pastry Chef of the Year, October 2010
• Judge – Hotel & Food Asia, Sri Lanka, 2009
• Committee Member – Les Toques Blanches, Seoul, Korea, 2004–2009
• Gold Award – Sugar Showpiece, FHA 2004 Culinary Challenge, Singapore, April 2004
• Gold Awards – FHA Culinary Challenge Singapore, Best Culinary Establishment, Highest Points in 3 Separate Categories, April 2004
• Bronze Award – Culinary Olympics Luxembourg, 3rd Place Overall Culinary World Cup, November 2003
• Silver Award – Culinary Olympics Luxembourg, Singapore Team Buffet, November 2003
• Finalist – MOGB, Meilleur Ouvrier de Grande Bretagne, Hotel Patisserie, Académie Culinaire de France, February 1997
• Silver Award – Works in Cooked Sugar, Hotelympia, February 1996
• Most Outstanding Craftsman – International Banquet Competition, Limerick, Ireland, September 1995
• Silver Award – International Banquet Competition, Limerick, Ireland, September 1995
• Gold Award – International Banquet Competition, Limoges, France, October 1994
• Silver Award – Petit Fours, Epicurean World Master Chefs Society, September 1994
• Bronze Award – Works in Cooked Sugar, World of Hospitality, January 1994
• Founder Member (Member Number 3) – The Association of Pastry Chefs (APC), 1993
• Gold Award – Team Buffet, International Banquet Competition, Dallas, Texas, August 1993
• Gold Award – International Banquet Competition, Dallas, Texas, August 1993
• Silver Award – Young Patissier of the Year, Dame Shirley Porter DBE DL, June 1993
• Silver Award – Works in Cooked Sugar, Hotelympia, January 1992
• Gold Award – Works in Cooked Sugar, CFA, October 1991
• Excellence Award Winner – Hyatt Carlton Tower, March 1991
• Annual Award of Excellence – Académie Culinaire de France, February 1991

Various promotions with Gordon Ramsay, Michel Troisgros, Alain Ducasse, Jacques and Laurent Pourcel, Frédéric Bau, Jean-Claude Vrinat, Joël Robuchon, Marc Veyrat, Marc Haeberlin, Bernard Guilhaudin, Pierre Wynants, Heinz Winkler, Georges Blanc, Alain Passard, Kiyomi Mikuni, Michel Trama, Dawn Sieber, Dietmar Sawyer, Alan Wong, Russell Siu, Eiichi Takahashi, Christine Mansfield, Todd English, Rosario Traeger, Pascal Molines, Paul Bocuse, Alan Koh, David LeFevre, Ercole Musso, Lars Boehme, Gerald Vignat, Gaetano Trovato, Damon McGinniss, Daniel Chambon, Antonio Fallini, Pilar Rodriguez, Stéphane Glacier, James Martin, and Jamie Oliver.

Other culinary promotions and events include Austrian, German, regional French, Italian, Middle Eastern, Swedish, Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, Valrhona chocolate, Guam, German bread, French bread, and Turkish themes and collaborations.