Born into a family of confectioners, Massimo Carnio learnt the tricks of the trade from his father and grandfather. Since 2000 he has been managing Alla Villa dei Cedri, his own pastry and coffee shop in Valdobbiadene (Treviso), which has become an institution in virtue of its breakfasts, selection of chocolates, mignon pastries and ceremonial cakes.

Massimo acquired the taste for chocolate twenty years ago. In the last few years, having learnt the art from the best master chocolatiers in the world, he has become specialised in the creation of artistic showpieces that breathe with elegance and simplicity. He achieved success and personal satisfaction at the 2014 World Cup of Ice Cream as master chocolatier on the Italian team, which was awarded the silver medal. His chocolate showpiece, together with a selection of 'floral flavour' mignon pastries, was highly appreciated on this occasion.

Read the report on the Italian qualifying round.

Where does my passion for chocolate stem from?

I’ve always been a pastry chef and I believe that any pastry chef should take interest in chocolate. As for me, the passion for chocolate has grown bigger than the one for pastry. Chocolate is a part of me… It’s in my soul.

Why do I participate in the World Chocolate Masters?

I wanted to tackle the biggest challenge: confronting excellence. I was looking forward to face the world’s greatest talents to light the fuse of challenge inside of me, and, of course, to understand where I stand.

How do I prepare for the World Chocolate Masters?

My preparations are pushing me to limits and even beyond. I hope that sacrifice and dedication, but especially passion will do the rest!

How do I plan on convincing the jury members?

First of all, I studied my creations and then I tried them over and over again, I created and tested them to convince myself that this is the best that I can do. Therefore, I’d say that my self-confidence will convince them.

What do I hope to learn from this experience?

I have already learnt a lot from this experience. I’ve learnt sacrifice and discipline, and the importance of teaming up. I’ve measured people that helped me and those that abandoned me. Experience gained in an international competition is huge as it is an excellent chance to meet the most successful people in the world. Furthermore, during the competition, when expectations and tensions are very high, learning to curb the anxiety of achieving the best is another big lesson.