For the tenth edition of its Finest Chocolatiers selection, Gault&Millau once again turns its attention to the artisans shaping the chocolate landscape of Belgium and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.The 2027 selection brings together 145 chocolatiers across 207 addresses, highlighting the diversity of contemporary craftsmanship. As with the restaurant guide, the selection is based on an independent process, carried out without commercial considerations. 
The selection is the result of several intensive blind tasting sessions conducted by an expert jury. Each assortment was examined beyond its visual appeal: taste, texture, finishing, creativity and presentation all played a role in the assessment.This approach places the sensory experience at the heart of the selection while also acknowledging the craftsmanship and precision behind each creation.The 2027 selection also reflects a chocolate scene that continues to evolve. Gault&Millau’s inspectors discovered new artisans alongside established names, with increasingly distinctive approaches to flavour and origin.Origin chocolates are gaining ground, allowing chocolatiers to express the character of different cacao beans with greater precision. At the same time, less conventional ingredients, particularly those inspired by Asian flavours, are bringing new dimensions to pralines, ganaches and other chocolate creations. Fresh, floral and spicy notes complement the intensity of carefully fermented and roasted cacao.

David Maenhout (Chocolatier M) - Knokke

For Flanders, the title of Chocolatier of the Year 2027 goes to David Maenhout of Chocolatier M in Knokke.Active for more than two decades, Maenhout has built a career marked by consistency, refinement and a meticulous attention to detail. He was already the first laureate of Gault&Millau’s chocolate guide when it launched in 2013, and has since accumulated numerous national and international distinctions.His work is characterised by finesse and nuanced flavour profiles, qualities that continue to distinguish his creations during comparative blind tastings. More than twenty years after the beginning of his career, this latest distinction recognises a long-standing commitment to Belgian chocolate and brings a special conclusion to the anniversary edition.

Arthur Amblard (Arthur Amblard) - Brussels

In Brussels, the title goes to Arthur Amblard, a chocolatier representing a younger generation of artisans.After studying bakery and pastry-making before continuing his education at CERIA, he developed his expertise through junior competitions and professional experience at Oberweis in Luxembourg and with Arnaud Champagne in Ittre. Since settling in Brussels’ Sablon district in 2025, he has developed a highly personal approach.His entire range is made without added sugar, with refined sugar replaced by xylitol. Rather than treating this as a limitation, Amblard has incorporated it into his creative language, combining high-quality cacao with carefully composed flavours such as yuzu and fleur de sel sesame.The result is a contemporary collection of pralines and chocolate creations that places innovation alongside craftsmanship.

François Deremiens (Deremiens) - Wallonie

In Wallonia, Gault&Millau honours François Deremiens, whose path to chocolate began far from the traditional world of confectionery.A former primary-school teacher, Deremiens left education more than twenty years ago to open his first workshop in Prouvy. His desire to understand chocolate from its very origins eventually led him to become a chocolatier and roaster, before creating Mayata, his own origin-chocolate brand.In Jamoigne, he works with rare cacao beans from different regions of the world and uses low-temperature roasting to preserve their aromatic identity. His control of the process from bean to chocolate also allows him to create his own couvertures and bespoke products for chocolatiers, pastry chefs and restaurants.This commitment to origin, craftsmanship and precision has earned his chocolates international recognition and now the title of Chocolatier of the Year 2027 for Wallonia.

Olivier Vandoninck (Chocolatier O) - Geel

The Discovery of the Year 2027 award for Belgium goes to Chocolatier O in Geel, the house of Olivier Vandoninck.The concept is rooted in simplicity, from the concise name inspired by the chocolatier’s initial to the clean visual identity of the boutique and its adjoining workshop. Trained in marketing and at PIVA, Vandoninck places particular importance on presentation while maintaining a strong focus on flavour.His pralines combine clearly defined profiles with a refined aesthetic. Flavours such as yuzu and tiramisu are enclosed within a fine chocolate shell, creating creations characterised by precision, visual elegance and balance.For Gault&Millau, this combination of a distinctive signature and a carefully considered universe makes Chocolatier O a notable new arrival on the Belgian chocolate scene.
The Finest Chocolatiers 2027 selection illustrates a Belgian chocolate scene where heritage and experimentation increasingly meet. From long-established artisans to emerging houses, the selection highlights different approaches to craftsmanship, origin, flavour and presentation.The complete selection is available through Gault&Millau’s dedicated chocolate platform, while the awards will also feature in the annual restaurant guide published on 9 November 2026.