Hot Date Alert: Make Chocolate With Recent Food Network Winner Will Gustwiller Of Eclipse Chocolate!

Eclipse Chocolate Founder Will Gustwiller

San Diego has a new ‘Chocolate Champion’!

Will Gustwiller, chocolatier and founder of San Diego-based Eclipse Chocolate, has won a special “Guy’s Chocolate Games” episode of Guy’s Grocery Games that aired on Food Network on Sunday, February 12.

Gustwiller beat contestants that included personal chef Steven Oliver of San Diego, corporate chef Lindsay Ontko and Ricardo Trillos of Cao Chocolates in Miami to walk away with $16,000 in prize money!

The Contest

During the episode, contestants used their creativity and deep knowledge of chocolate to create sweet and savory dishes with limited time, budget and ingredients.

The show’s first challenge had contestants making lunch using key ingredients of German chocolate cake: dark chocolate, coconut, pecans and maraschino cherries. Gustwiller answered with a cacao glazed pork tenderloin served alongside Chinese long beans with coconut and pecans.

The second challenge saw contestants playing a game of spreeball to determine their budgets for a decadent chocolate dessert. Gustwiller’s budget of $15.55 resulted in s’mores with frozen blackberries and spiced drinking chocolate.

During the third round, Gustwiller and remaining contestant Steven Oliver made a romantic chocolate dinner using a porterhouse steak and hot fudge. Gustwiller’s porterhouse with a cocoa balsamic sauce, cocoa nib pasta and asparagus won out over Oliver’s porterhouse with a hot fudge blackberry gastrique and haricot verts.

Yum!

Come Make Chocolate With Will Gustwiller At Eclipse!

The Umbral Room at Eclipse Chocolate

Eclipse Chocolate and Will Gustwiller invite you to attend a special Guy’s Grocery Games Dinner and Viewing Party at Eclipse Chocolate on Saturday, February 18 at 5 or 8 p.m.

This evening is priced at $40 per person and will feature multiple courses, each a recreation of Gustwiller’s recent television appearance.

Guests will also be able to create custom chocolate during the evening!