A Hawaiian-born pastry chef – whose chance meeting with her future husband on a night out in Galway led to her setting up home in the city – was this week crowned as the winner of the first ever Irish Pâtisserie Championship in Dublin.

Asia Mahealani McDonagh, owner of Mahealani Pastries in Galway city, was announced as the winner on Tuesday after a highly competitive six-hour live finale against five other talented pastry chefs from Ireland’s top restaurants and hotels, including fellow Galwegian Juliette Simon from Grá Chocolates.

Asia, who is originally from Hawaii and also spent time in California and Paris, settled in Galway after meeting her now-husband Eoghan on Quay Street on a road trip with her sister Sam.

Eoghan moved to Paris six weeks later, but the pair are now settled back in Galway where Asia has established her acclaimed business, having also worked as Head Pastry Chef in both Le Petit Delice and the Michelin-Star restaurant, Aniar. Most of her business now is producing stunning wedding cakes and bespoke pastries to order.

She impressed the panel of elite international judges with a stunning trio of creations: a plant-based café gourmandise dessert, an intricately plated fine dining dessert, and a breathtaking chocolate showpiece entitled ‘Mahealani’ after her Hawaiian middle name meaning the light of the full moon.

Speaking after her win, Asia said she felt ‘incredibly honoured’ to have won.

“The standard was very high, and to be recognised is a dream come true,” she said.

Asia has always enjoyed baking at home in Hawaii – drawing inspiration from her genes!

“My grandma, Jeanne Pelekai, was ‘the Bread Lady’ on Maui. She baked bread in the wee hours of the morning in her converted-garage-kitchen and then delivered them around the island. ‘Helping’ her in her bakery when we stayed at their house definitely planted the pastry-chef-seeds in me,” she said.

As part of the prize, Asia will now travel to Dubai for an exclusive training experience at L’École Valrhona, where some of the world’s top pastry chefs teach the next generation of innovators.

The Championship added another dimension to the first-ever DNA Pastry Unwrapped Conference where there was another Galway connection; Grá Chocolates founder and owner Gráinne Mullins was among the contributors to discussions moderated by food writer Suzanne Campbell.

The themes explored ranged from sustainability in pastry to the evolution of artisan chocolate, gender representation in pâtisserie – and dessert trends.

Pictured: Asia Mahealani McDonagh, owner of Mahealani Pastries and winner of the Irish Pâtisserie Championship, with her stunning chocolate sculpture.