Japan has beaten France in the pâté-croûte world championships for the third year running.
Ryutaro Shiomi pipped Lyon’s Jérémie Crauser to the post, having also taken the title in 2021 and 2020.
Organiser Christophe Marguin, who is also president of the Toques blanches lyonnaises, the famous Lyon chefs’ organisation, said the competition began as a bit of light relief but became more serious when they realised that these days, most pâté-croûte (a kind of meat terrine encased in pastry) is made in a factory, with the skills to make it by hand in danger of being lost.
“It’s important to show how we do it, to explain that the meat must marinate, make the jelly, cook the dough…” he said.
Shiomi beat 13 other international contestants, who were judged by a panel of meilleurs ouvriers de France and Michelin-starred chefs, chaired by none other than Pierre Hermé.
‘Coffret au trésor’, his pâté-croûte, was made of duck, chicken, leg of venison, smoked wild board, pig’s trotters, chicken liver, pork belly, candied foie gras, bacon, black garlic, chestnut, green pepper, candied apple, cognac and sherry.
One of the judges, Michelin-starred chef Christophe Paucod, who is based in Tokyo, said: “”I am not surprised by the victory of the Japanese chefs in this competition. By tradition, the Japanese are perfectionists, they love quality work, are in love with French cuisine and respectful of the product. They want everything to be perfect, the baking of the dough, the stuffing, the seasonings, the products, the jelly, every detail counts and they leave nothing to chance. “
