Pastry Live is proud to announce Team Maura Metheny and Dan Forgey of Norman Love Confections as this year's National Showpiece Champions. Team Metheny's chocolate showpiece, titled "The Hurwitz Hypnotist," was favored for its overall visual aesthetic and the originality of its design. Drawing their inspiration from the sculptures of Jonty Hurwitz and renowned illusionists Harry Houdini and David Copperfield, the duo set out to captivate viewers, engaging them through the illusion created by their design. Staying true to their muses, they transformed chocolate into a show based on perspective, with various aspects appearing, separating and coming together based on the angle it was viewed from.

Along with earning the title and a cash prize of $5,000, the team was also awarded Best Chocolate Showpiece for their innovative design portraying this year's theme of "The Art of Illusion."

Seven teams of two chefs competed on August 27th over the course of seven hours, constructing showpieces utilizing a unique trio of pedestal bases, encouraging an entirely new range of showpiece design.