Japan crowned world pastry champion in Lyon, ahead of France and Malaysia

Thanks to its chocolate masterpiece, Japan won the Pastry World Cup(New Window) on Saturday January 25, ahead of France and Malaysia, retaining its title at the end of two days of competition near Lyon. “It's unbelievable!” said the Japanese team as they took the top step of the podium, their fourth accolade since the competition's inception in 1989. The competition traditionally takes place during the Salon international de la restauration, de l'hôtellerie et de l'alimentation (Sirha).

 

Eighteen teams from all over the world, from Argentina to South Korea and Mauritius, competed in the final. Each team, made up of a chocolatier, a sugar expert and a master ice-cream maker, had nine hours to complete three tasks, all based on a common theme: putting their country in the spotlight.
  

They had to prepare three iced entremets based on fruit purée, a restaurant dessert set out on plates “à la minute”, and finally, a shower of small chocolate creations, to be enjoyed like “finger food”. Three artistic pieces, veritable works of art assembled in parallel (one in sugar, one in chocolate and one in sculpted ice cream), completed the whole.
  

Those of the Japanese team featured an imposing Japanese theatrical figure, traditionally made up in red and white, a Japanese lantern and candy canes, again in the colors of the land of the rising sun. “What really made the difference was the chocolate piece”, commented the famous French pastry chef-chocolatier Pierre Hermé, also president of the competition, to AFP, hailing a team with ‘real power, a real desire to win’.