Tico pastry chef to compete in global challenge

Stand back, Cake Boss: When Edwin Solís heads to Norway for the Global Pastry Chef Challenge, he will not just compete for Costa Rica or for all of Central America. When the master pastry chef qualified for the July 2014 challenge, it meant he’d represent all of the Americas.

Raised in a family bakery, Solís has honed his skills for 18 years, and he is no stranger to pastry competitions: He has baked his way to four gold medals, three silver and one bronze in various tourneys around the world. In 2013, Solís won accolades at a competition in Las Vegas, Nevada, hosted by The World Association of Chef Societies (WACS). The result: Solís qualified for the global competition in Stavanger, Norway.

The WACS competition covers nearly every culinary art, but only one champion is selected from each continent for each category – which is why Solís carries the glory of the Americas on his shoulders. The Norway event also incorporates a conference and exhibition of all things edible.

Solís is already a busy baker. He owns Boulangerie Le Artisan and is an executive pastry chef at the Culinary Training School of Costa Rica, where he teaches the art of pastry-making. He has worked for upscale hotels, including the JW Marriott in Lima, Peru. As a mentor, he is known for his transparent and inviting style.

“It is an honor to support all the people who dream big and have a passion for cooking,” Solís said in a statement. “There are currently many open doors. It’s a matter of effort and believing in ourselves.”