CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) –Nearly 40 pounds of chocolate, seven hours of work and a pirate-themed sculpture helped a Charlottesville pastry chef earn national recognition.
Charles Zimmerman, executive pastry chef at Farmington Country Club, won first place in the Chocolate Artistry category at the 2026 National Pastry Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina. The competition took place Oct. 5, with winners announced the following day.
Zimmerman’s chocolate sculpture featured a treasure chest, a tattered sail, skulls and a crashing wave…