Kirsten Tibballs
Kirsten Tibballs, proclaimed by MasterChef Australia as ‘the Queen of Chocolate’, is one of Australia’s most celebrated and internationally respected pastry chefs and chocolatiers.
As the sole ambassador in Australia for leading chocolate manufacturer, Callebaut, Kirsten regularly travels throughout the world demonstrating her craft in chocolate and patisserie.
Kirsten represented Australia at the World Pastry Team Championships in Las Vegas, USA, where she was recognised as the best in the world for her handmade chocolates. Kirsten has also won a Gold and Bronze medal for her patisserie and chocolate artistry in the Pastry Olympics in Germany.
Continuing to educate and inspire, Kirsten’s TV show, The Chocolate Queen, premiered in 2019 airing both in Australia and internationally. Focussing on home-bakers, Kirsten presented an array of achievable recipes and innovative chocolate tips and tricks. The show was so well-received that season two was filmed and aired in late 2021 with season three airing in March 2023.
As a testament to her skills, Kirsten was given the honour of judging the World Chocolate Masters in Paris, The Patisserie Grand Prix in Japan and The World Chocolate Masters selections in London. Most recently, Kirsten travelled to Paris and served as Head of Jury for Taste at World Chocolate Masters 2022, as well as globally launching a new concept in chocolate to 50 of the world’s leading food media in Venice.
With talents that extend beyond the kitchen, Kirsten is the author of two patisserie books, Chocolate to Savour and Chocolate, the first of which was self-published and won the award for Best Photography from Gourmand in the UK. Kirsten is due to release her third book, Chocolate All Day, in November 2023.
Kirsten makes regular television appearances, including Everyday Gourmet with Justine Schofield, and has presented numerous chocolate challenges on MasterChef Australia to test and inspire the contestants. She appeared in the 2017 MasterChef Australia Grand Finale, presenting the final challenge for the season.
With a desire to pass on her knowledge to other passionate food lovers and professional chefs, Kirsten established Savour Chocolate & Patisserie School in 2002 in Brunswick, Melbourne. In 2013, Kirsten extended the school to an online platform with online video tutorials designed to reach a world-wide audience. Savour strives to create an opportunity for students to learn from and work alongside world-renowned chefs. Savour Chocolate & Patisserie School boasts a state of the art kitchen and has hosted a number of internationally recognised pastry chefs. Savour was the first school in Australia solely dedicated to teaching the art of chocolate and patisserie, with many of the school’s students opening their own boutique chocolate shops and patisseries around the world.