Coupe du Monde de la Patisserie / World Pastry Cup

[bleudauvergne]

The competition was today. We met with another eGullet member, confiseur, at his hotel in Lyon and proceeded to the show. The winners will be announced tomorrow. We are all exhausted but here are some of the photos. Words will come tomorrow (confiseur should be much better at words on this topic, in any case.) These photos were taken to get a feel of the event.

Spanish Dessert

Japan

The Korean Chocolate Piece

Singapore

Canada

USA

USA Chocolate details

There is a whole story behind the event today but I will have to post that tomorrow. Just too tired.

[chefpeon]

First thing you gotta tell is what this year's theme was. Bugs? Hard to tell from the photos....but

I saw the spider and.....thought maybe....

Although all those showpieces are spectacular and I'll probably never achieve something like that in my lifetime, I see a "sameness" in all of them.....at least the ones you've posted photos of. It's almost like it's a height competition too. Must they all be so tall? I've really never quite understood the whole pastry/tall dessert thing. I dunno....maybe it's because height is difficult to achieve, and height+difficulty=skill.

I sort of compare pastry competitions to figure skating. The person who usually wins the figure skating competition is usually the one who completes the most difficult triple jumps without falling, but they aren't necessarily the most lovely or graceful. Number of jumps completed is more measurable and not left to a judges opinion like grace and artistry is. I suspect that's how pastry competitions are judged also......there's certain elements you must have and how well you keep to the theme, and how much time you have, how difficult the project is, and how many flaws there are....etc.

Many times what I have considered the most elegant and well presented showpiece is never the winner.....like figure skating it makes me nuts!

Anyway.

I never have understood the super tall paper toque thing either. About the last thing I'd want to be wearing when I'm working on something so fragile and temperamental is a huge thing on my head that would most likely knock off whatever I have just placed on my big showpiece. I'd be wearing a bandana and a sports bra to keep it all outta the way.....

[Wendy DeBord]

Oh................totally auesome..........THANK-YOU SOOOOOO MUCH!!!

Your photos are fabulous..........I can sort of feel what it's like to be there, something I've never quite seen in a magazine covering this topic. I literally can't wait to hear all the details!!!!!

[JSkilling]

Cool pics. The Spanish dessert is incredibly beautiful. Did they do more of that work as well or was it all the big monster stuff? I appreciate the time and talent it takes to make these but I must say none of them float my boat. There's too many elements, too much going on, just generally too much.... Whatever show was on Food Channel was fun though because the stuff came crashing down as they were moving it I had my fingers in my mouth watching them with my breath held to make sure I didn't accidently breath on the TV and crash their stuff. Way too nerve wracking for me!!!

[artisanbaker]

cool pix. thx.

the spanish dessert is paco torreblanca's. it's made by blowing into a ring submerged in hot isomalt while pulling up. inside is a savarin. it's extremely difficult to do. he demo'd it last year at his class in chicago.

[duckduck]

Cool pics. I'm eager to hear more but I understand that posting stuff like this is a lot of work. Looking forward to seeing more when you guys get around to it. I'm curious as everyone else about the theme. Thanks for giving us a glimpse!

[bleudauvergne]

It wasn't the posting that tired me - it was the exhaustion after being at such a high energy event all day. The event took place in the midst of an enormous trade show, with hundreds of thousands of visitors. We did what we could but it was just too enormous to cover everything, so we ended up spending some time at the WPC for the chocolate and sugar competition although there was also a dessert competition which we caught the tail end of.

The Japanese in their chocolate with an undulating wave of dolphins. The Japanese had a heart wrenching (and loud) accident just before presentation when their sugar piece collapsed. It was really terrible, and I was so shocked at first that I could not bring myself to think about what emotions that Yoshio Kurimoto must have been feeling. I must have seemed heartless as I noted without any emotion what had just happened. Chef Kurimoto held up alright through to presentation, and then at the end he broke down and they closed the curtain of the Japanese kitchen to give him some privacy. There was an announcement that the Japanese would be penalized on presentation only, which still gives them a chance, I think.

Next were the South Koreans, with both chocolate and sugar dragons, very scary alien type creatures but really visually spectacular, pure sculpture. I felt that although they did have visual impact, they did not have the level sophistication as some of the others in concept.

The Americans did a sugar sculpture on the theme of the wave also, which was interesting in that he used stylized elements to bring a sense of stillness to the overall piece and then incorporated very flowing and moving fish (they weren't actually moving...) that were simply breathtaking, I liked the duality of it and felt that what he was trying to accomplish was successful from an aesthetic perspective except that the piece did not carry the same dramatic visual impact from a distance as the others, and I think that may have hurt them. Also the cake in the middle was in my opinion rather second throught... Better lighting may have helped, The chocolate was mysterious, spider, bright mesmerizing flowers, rather obscure and I wasn't quite sure what they were trying to accomplish as far a symbolism but an interesting piece.

The new competitors, Jordan and Morocco, generally did very pretty decorative pieces. Singapore was also pure deco and very pretty. I caught a glimpse and a couple of shots of Spain. The netherlands did a low def piece that carried a long way visually.

Canada was very colorful and had an impressive overall composition. Spain had a problem with their chocolate. They incorporated printed images of works of art reprenting their culture, which was interesting, but as far as artistry with the material, I was a little bit disspointed. The Netherlands did two rather low def pieces (not a criticism at all - the visual impact from a distance was stunning), and the last photo is of the US team captain, En-Ming Hsu giving it one last look at the end of the day.

Today it's Lebanon, Russia, Belgium, Columbia, Italy, Germany, China, France, Portugal and Mexico. And today at the end of the day the results will be announced. I think I might try to get there but it looks unlikely because of a prior committment.

[lepatissier]

Thanks for posting the pics! Am looking forward to hearing more and seeing more later . . . thanks again :)

[TurtleMeng]

Beyond amazing, but...am I the only one that thinks the Korean piece is not too...appetizing?

[aidensnd2]

cool pix. thx.

the spanish dessert is paco torreblanca's. it's made by blowing into a ring submerged in hot isomalt while pulling up. inside is a savarin. it's extremely difficult to do. he demo'd it last year at his class in chicago.

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Do you have any more info on this, or a more detailed description. It looks awesome, I'd like to give it a try sometime.

Thanks.

[chiantiglace]

I hate to be a downer on this topic but im getting rather bored with these competitions. Well the shoewpieces anyways. Everything else always gets better and more interesting.

I am starting to think that the chefs have become limited. Over the last 8 years of competitions I see a great deal of similarities, through all countries and teams. They are all very beautiful and all will be but on unique scale. I did find the koreans to be a little more interesting then most with the chocolate showpiece. The last truly orignal showpiece(s) i've seen were from Neil's colleagues J.P. Maury's team. They all have similar flowing casted balls, flowers, arking techniques, as C.P. said the height, flames, loops, swirls. Made im just being hard, but i just don't notice artistic difference between P.chefs lately. They all take different approaches which come out differently, but yet they still have the same feel.

It's just, when i look at all these put together I don't feel the same as if i were when i walk through an art store, no matter what it's categories.

Am I insane or do some of you see this aswell.

If im not insane i sha'll dedicate my next 20 years to become the most dazzling showpiece constructor the world pastry competition has ever seen.

[petite tête de chou]

The South Korean sugary, spawn o' Satan is aaaawwwesome!

Very original!

Gotta look at it again...

[bleudauvergne]

Here's a photo of South Korea's sugar piece. The image in the first post is their chocolate.

[petite tête de chou]

Here's a photo of South Korea's sugar piece.  The image in the first post is their chocolate. 

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Even better!

[Wendy DeBord]

Chiantiglace I've written similar responses before and luckily Steve Klc has been around to explain to us the realities about these shows. First, I think these people have the talent to make just about anything out of sugar and chocolate. But if I understand correctly they are indeed fitting with-in traditional show piece standards. To go outside of traditional design won't get you the win. So it's a traditional show and traditional work wins.

If you search thru our files and look up past competitions you'll find Steves words (and a few other peoples) that will do a far better job explaining then I. It's worth the search.

[bleudauvergne]

If you search thru our files and look up past competitions you'll find Steves words (and a few other peoples) that will do a far better job explaining then I. It's worth the search.

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WPTC, 2004 World Pastry Team Championships

Wedding Cake Competition In Portugal, Some of the results

[Kit]

To go outside of traditional design won't get you the win.

That's so true... A friend of mine's husband entered (I think) the Patis France competition at the NY Food Show a few years ago. He had a wonderful showpiece but it was different. Less big arcs and height than almost everyone there. Also, his show cake wasn't covered in high shine chocolate, and he didn't have those little chocolate squares around the side of it that you see so often at these things. You guessed it, he didn't even come close to placing. It's just not what the judges are looking for.

On another note, the Spanish dessert could be a showpiece in and of itself. It's just so... lovely.

[jgarner53]

The Spanish dessert was what floored me the most, I think. While I agree with what Sinclair said, I also am starting to feel like, eh, just another amazing, delicate showpiece. (not that I could ever come anywhere close to creating one). South Korea's sugar piece does, though, look considerably different than the typical swoopy, high arcing pieces that we are used to seeing.

But the Spanish dessert was breathtaking.

I can't wait to hear the results!

[Wendy DeBord]

I guess everyone sure is different. I think the Spanish dessert is a breakthrough in technique and knowledge but once you lift the inedible sugar off the plate it's a rather simple little dessert (well actually, I don't know what the exact dessert is, but it looks simple, watch it be something else new).

I like South Korea's show piece and ones similar to it, where it's something formed by hand with-out the use of a mold............and it's not yet another pulled sugar flower.

But who knows........

[chefpeon]

I think if I had witnessed what happened to the Japanese team like you did Lucy, I would

have started crying and left. How horrible. I would NEVER in a million years wish something

like that on someone.....God, when you know the sweat and the stress and the hours that

go into things....and it's all gone in a moment......what a heartbreaker. Yipes. The pic you

snapped of it gave me a clue as to how beautiful it was too......gosh!

That's what I don't understand about competitions....there's a certain conformity that you

have to strive for, and I think that can be very limiting. Too many requirements quell

creativity as far as I'm concerned. I've always been a fan of encouraging originality....

and new ideas. It's kinda sad.

I also had a friend that entered the PatisFrance competition a few years ago. He placed third,

but I'm sure it was only because he didn't use pulled sugar, and because he didn't have

a monstrously tall piece. But it was by far the most beautiful and detailed entry. When I saw

the 1st and 2nd place winners, I knew it had to be a requirement/politics thing.

No competitions for me. Too much stress.......and for what?

Totally not worth it for me. I'm happy just to overcome my personal challenges on a daily

basis. Sometimes I win the prize, sometimes I don't. I just try harder the next day.

[chiantiglace]

If im even lucky enough to have my showpiece crash during a world competition that wil be enough accomplishment for me.

I want the stress and intensity, I thrive on it. I hope if an when i ever get the chance to do something similar to this, that the stress is almost unbarebly. Because if i prevail all the more excited and proud I will be.

hopefully in the course of the next 10 years will have big changes in the judges ideas on how to grade a showpiece. It's not like they use the same judges every year.

[bleudauvergne]

I would love to see the specific criteria upon which the pieces are judged. A score sheet. I think that the individual elements on the score sheet must contribute to the results much more than the judges opinions of value would, due to the structure imposed by the competition at the outset. Every criteria and basis for penalty must limit the final outcome to a certain degree, although in principle these rules should exist in order to most effectively and most evenly gauge the skill of the chef, and not necessarily the level of technological innovation achieved or artistic creativity...

On the way to the competition, confiseur and I briefly discussed the pressure involved in these competitions. Sitting on the metro during our discussion, I did not fully understand the level of pressure on the chefs, and was incredulous that anyone in their right mind could give up the opportunity to compete in a competition of this caliber if they were confident in their own skills and were honored with the opportunity. However, once I got to the competition, the reality was a shocker. The spectators were strung out like birds on a wire. The stress was so thick I was half expecting stampedes whenever they played the loud anthem and brought out another dessert. People at the front were standing on the chairs, pushing each other out of the way to get a glimpse, and the people in the back were all anxiously following the camera coverage on the big screen above. The chefs themselves were not only representing their countries, but also battling within an imposed structure of very complex rules. It was competition of the highest level. The discussion everywhere not only entailed the technical skill of the chefs but how they were able to work within the limits imposed to express themselves in the end. The new participants were clearly head and shoulders below the experienced competitors. I was told that this is normal, that competitors need a few years to get familiar with the rules.

[David Lebovitz]

Was in Lyon at the competition, what a lot of hard work. Felt really sorry for the Japanese team, especially since I thought their piece was the most graceful (some of the other's were kinda ghoulish, I thought).

What was up with the judge from Mexico? Why was he so rude, knocking down dessert, smashing things, and scowling whever anything was put in front of him?

[phifly04]

Are the results in?I have a tremendous amount of respect for any who would enter or participate in something this grand,with all eyes watching not to mention the hopes of a whole nation on you.thanks for posting the fantastic pics bleudauvergne

Dave s

[PastryBoy]

Are the results in?I have a tremendous amount of respect for any who would enter or participate in something this grand,with all eyes watching not to mention the hopes of a whole nation on you.thanks for posting the fantastic pics bleudauvergne

                                              Dave s

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The results have been posted!

1st place: France

2nd place: Pays-Bas (not too sure how to translate)

3rd place: United States

Best Chocolate: Canada (yay for canada!!)

Best Sugar: South Korea

Best Ice Cream: Japan

You can get the full results and photos here.

cheers, David