Kirsten Tibballs

Kirsten Tibballs, proclaimed by MasterChef Australia as “the Queen of Chocolate”, is one of Australia’s most celebrated and internationally respected pastry chefs and chocolatiers. Renowned for her technical mastery and creative flair, Kirsten has built a global reputation through decades of excellence in chocolate and patisserie. As the sole Australian ambassador for leading chocolate manufacturer Callebaut, she regularly travels the world demonstrating her craft and representing Australia on the international stage.

Kirsten has represented Australia at the World Pastry Team Championships in Las Vegas, USA, where she was recognised as the best in the world for her handmade chocolates. Additionally, she has been awarded Gold and Bronze medals for her patisserie and chocolate artistry at the Pastry Olympics in Germany.  In recognition of her expertise, Kirsten has been invited to judge the world’s most prestigious competitions, including the World Chocolate Masters in Paris, where she served as Head of the Jury of Taste in 2022, The Patisserie Grand Prix in Japan, and the World Chocolate Masters selections in London.

Beyond competition, Kirsten is a passionate educator and author. Her first self-published cookbook, Chocolate to Savour, won the Gourmand (UK) award for Best Photography Cookbook. She followed this with ‘Chocolate’ and, most recently, ‘Chocolate All Day’ in 2023.  Kirsten also regularly contributes recipes and articles to leading international pastry publications including So Good... Magazine, Pastry and Baking North America, Pastry and Baking Asia Pacific, Baking Business, and Australasian Baker.

Kirsten is a familiar face on television, having made numerous appearances on MasterChef Australia, famously setting the dramatic ‘Trio of Fruits’ final challenge in the 2017 Grand Finale (the longest challenge in the show’s history). She has also appeared regularly on Everyday Gourmet with Justine Schofield and, in 2023, competed in the inaugural season of Dessert Makers. Kirsten is the creator and host of her own television series, the Chocolate Queen, which premiered in 2018 and has since aired five seasons across Australia and internationally, reaching audiences in 89 countries.

Driven by a desire to share her knowledge and inspire the next generation of pastry chefs, Kirsten founded Savour Chocolate & Patisserie School in 2002 in Brunswick, Melbourne. As owner and director, she has grown Savour into a world-leading institution dedicated exclusively to chocolate and patisserie education. The school offers state-of-the-art facilities, hosts renowned international guest chefs, and has produced alumni who have gone on to open boutique chocolate shops and patisseries around the world. In 2013, Kirsten expanded Savour globally with the launch of an online learning platform, which by 2024 hosts over 550 classes accessible worldwide.

Always innovating, Kirsten launched her first app ‘Mix n’ Make’, enabling users to create custom eclairs, macarons and tarts through interactive recipe generation. In 2018, when Barry Callebaut introduced Ruby RB1, the first new type of chocolate in over 70 years, Kirsten was selected to officially launch the product in London. More recently, she has collaborated with Bulla Family Dairy to create the Murray Street Ice Creamery range, inspired by her signature desserts.

Kirsten continues to travel extensively, delivering live demonstrations at major industry events including The Good Food & Wine Shows and Cake Bake & Sweet Shows, while balancing her global career with family life and time spent in Victoria’s Yarra Valley.