The French are named pastry champions of the world

Published: November 3, 2023 by Gill Harris 1761

It will hardly come as a surprise that France has been crowned the world champion of pastry.

The French team, led by Lyon-based chef Nabil Barina (who two years ago won the very first world tiramisu championships), beat 11 other countries to take the title in Milan at the World Championship of Pastry, Chocolate and Ice Cream.

The competition involved three challenges for each nation: a chocolate and praline sculpture, a sugar and modern cake sculpture and a single-serving sculpture made from pastillage (a type of sugar paste icing that dries extremely hard) and ice cream. The theme for this year’s competition was ‘The Music of your Nation’ and the chefs chose La French Touch, the name for the Gallic spin French DJs and producers added to the house music of the mid-90s, as characterised by bands such as Daft Punk.

As well as the top prize, the French won the Best Frozen Dessert in the World award. Délicieux!