It took a top chef three weeks to create - and a Dublin Airport scanner three seconds to destroy.
A chocolate sculpture which was to form the centrepiece of the Irish team's petit fours display at the opening of today's Culinary World Cup in Luxembourg came to grief yesterday before the team took off.
Team members say security staff insisted that the sculpted butter, sugar and chocolate creations be put through the electronic scanner, despite protestations about the risk of damage.
The sugar and butter pieces came out the other side, but not the foot-high chocolate work of sous chef, Mark Moffet, of Lawlor's Hotel in Naas, which was smashed by the machine.
An Aer Rianta spokeswoman said last night that one of the items concerned had "activated" a handheld scanner. Agents acting for British Airways with which the team travelled, insisted that it be put through the machine.
She added that as the team was stopping off at Gatwick and would have faced further security checks there, it was important that the items be properly packaged.
Last night the Irish team, led by Mr John Kelly of the Ardilaun House Hotel in Galway, was frantically attempting to rescue its gold medal hopes by creating a replacement exhibit in time for today's opening session.
A journalist who accompanied the team, Ms Mairead Robinson of Food and Wine magazine, said the incident highlighted the odds against which the Irish team, one of 32 taking part in the week-long World Cup, had to operate.
"The Americans, who have won the event on the last three occasions, have their things carried over by the military," she said.
However the Irish team, despite having little sponsorship support, had taken gold medals at previous prestigious international events, she added.
Ireland has two six-member teams - at senior and junior level - taking part in this week's competition. The Culinary World Cup, like its football counterpart, is held every four years.
