ARTOZA Masterclasses 2025

From February 21 to 24, during the 19th ARTOZA, the highly anticipated masterclasses that thousands of professionals have been eagerly waiting for for two years are taking place!

Opera, Super Breads, Spring Desserts with Fruits, and Scandinavian Buns at the conclusion of the masterclasses 2025! 

A lively finale, full of innovation and creativity, was prepared for the masterclasses of ARTOZA 2025 by both the chefs who conducted the seminars and the professionals who attended and supported them until the last day. 

The introduction featured opera, the famous French cake named after the Paris Opera, presented in a particularly modern way by pastry chef Mr. Michalis Chatzikalimeris, who represented Cacao Barry. Mr. Chatzikalimeris also created a light pistachio tart with soft caramel and different textures of pistachio. 

Next, the stage was handed over to the creative bakery perspective of Ms. Elisavet Koulouri, founder & head baker of “Betty’s Bakery.” Ms. Koulouri showed the attending professionals how to make high-protein bread using seeds and oat flakes: preparations with a great nutritional profile that can win over the most demanding audience or educate consumers to incorporate them into their diet. 

Spring fresh desserts, based on seasonal fruits, were created for the audience by Mr. Manolis Stithos, executive pastry chef at “Patio Restaurant” of “The Margi Hotel.” The experienced chef, with a long tenure in A-List restaurants, made fine-tasting proposals, proving that patisserie is not just about chocolate. He utilized ingredients such as lime and pepper, emphasizing that the special raw materials added to a dessert must be perceptible by those tasting the desserts; otherwise, their use and the associated cost are meaningless. 

In the last masterclass of the day, Ms. Georgianna Fontrier, baker & pastry chef, brought fluffy Scandinavian buns to life, the delicious little buns that can be used in both sweet and savory preparations as modern proposals for flexible snacks. Ms. Fontrier showed alternative ways of folding the buns to make the layering even more impressive. 

Attending professionals had the opportunity to ask the presenters questions about their recipes and to taste all the creations on the spot, enjoying the results! 

The Masterclasses 2025 were presented by pastry chef Mr. Panos Zarantis. 

The recipes from Masterclasses 2025 will soon be posted on www.artoza.com 

See you again in 2027! 

Chocolate recital, vegan ice cream, innovative toast bread, and hybrid cakes on the second day of the masterclasses

Filled with vibrancy, creative ideas, wonderful recipes, and professionals from all over the country, eager to learn and communicate with each other, the second day of the masterclasses flowed smoothly.

Saturday, and the stage of the masterclasses was flooded with bakers and pastry chefs who came to ARTOZA to see the latest market trends, close new deals, and educate themselves through the masterclass demonstrations.

The baton of the second day was first taken by the well-known pastry chef Babis Polykateros, ambassador of Callebaut, who presented a delicious tiramisu, skillfully combining exotic fruits, chocolate, and mascarpone, with a pop appearance that impressed his audience.

Next, Dimitris Chronopoulos, pastry chef, and international pastry consultant, held the baton of the maestro in a very informative seminar, presenting the basic secrets for the proper management of chocolate, the attention that must be paid to the materials combined with it, emulsification, and many other factors that affect the result. He stressed that pastry should be approached holistically, emphasizing that in practice, absolute specialization in one material is worthless when not accompanied by the necessary general technical knowledge.

On the stage, he was succeeded by Dimitris Lytras, head baker at “Jesus Crust”, “Hippy Hippo Athens”, and co-owner of “Sourdough Bros“. Mr. Lytras undertook to show the professionals how they could create tasty, rich toast bread, with sourdough, butter, sugar, even turmeric, and lemon, to move their customers away from the standardized bread of supermarkets.

Time for ice cream, and indeed vegan, sugar-free, and no added sugar. Mr. Giannis Skourogiannakis, trainer, ice cream consultant, and CEO of FnA Company, systematically analyzed myths and truths of production, giving particular emphasis to the technology behind it. He provided the attendees with numerous instructions and tips for variegato, plant-based and animal creams, as well as the correct ways to ensure the final vegan result in their ice cream.

The last seminar of the day was orchestrated by the experienced hands of Mr. Ilias Triantis, bakery chef, and owner of the “Du Pain Boulangerie” workshop. The chef created a unique product by combining the cake recipe with the croissant technique, producing a delightful hybrid named crake (croissant + cake). A touching highlight of the seminar was the moment Ilias brought his grandfather and father onto the stage, lining up three generations of bakers who rightfully earned the audience’s warm applause.

Pastry chef Mr. Panos Zarentis presents the event.

The recipes from the Masterclasses of ARTOZA 2025 will soon be posted on https://www.artoza.com/en/.

Smart pastry and refined bakery on the first day of the masterclasses

A great opportunity for training and knowledge exchange for professionals from all over the country who visited ARTOZA on Friday, 21/02, was once again provided by the masterclasses, one of the most established “institutions” of the exhibition.

The program premiered with a special presentation by Callebaut, led by chef Remy Delette. The well-known chef created elegant Easter nests with exotic fruits, hazelnut praline, and different textures, using Ruby 2 chocolate. The “architecture” of his dessert was minimalist but demanding, impressing the attendees.

Next, pastry chef-dessert maker Panos Zarentis took the reins, crafting intoxicating babas based on the drink Porn Star Martini. Mr. Zarentis, with experience in both pastry shops and restaurants and hotels, talked about the history of the famous dessert and presented his version based on persistent syruping, the acidity of lime, and the rich flavor of passion fruit.

Bread that travels back in time to grandmothers’ wood-fired ovens, enriched with original ingredients like jalapeno pepper, cheddar cheese, and buttermilk was showcased by Michalis Bias, head baker, and owner of the “Tsofli Bakery”, known for its traditional rustic breads. Mr. Bias created a premium spicy bread that can be enjoyed on its own, “creating” the sensation of a meal, paired with a favorite wine.

A base for tsourekia and brioche made from potato puree, combined with nuts, fruits, and chocolate was the innovative proposal of executive & pastry consultant Dimitris Fysarakis, with extensive experience in production and training professionals. These preparations have, as he explained, a long shelf life (more than 10 days), while the texture and flavor of the products are particularly pleasant and balanced.

Authentic New York style cookies concluded the first day of the masterclasses. George Kalogiratos, baker, and owner of “Krisp, the Cookie Shop”, with many years of professional career also in the Big Apple, demonstrated to the professional audience the “secret” American way to make cookies crispy on the outside and remain soft and moist on the inside.

Attendees had the opportunity to ask the presenters questions about their recipes and to taste all the creations. Friday, the first day of the exhibition, “closed” as a sweet prologue to the upcoming “full” days to follow.

The event is presented by pastry chef Mr. Panos Zarentis.

The recipes of the Masterclasses of ARTOZA 2025 will soon be posted on www.artoza.com/en/.