Pastry Special Awards 2024

🇫🇷Local selection – France1

Bastien Blanc-TailleurParis, FranceBastien Blanc-Tailleur, a luxury cake designer in Paris, crafts opulent confections for high-profile clients, including European royalty and American socialites. Renowned for his exquisite wedding and special-occasion cakes, his creations have been called “edible haute couture”. Passionate about pastry since childhood, Blanc-Tailleur launched his business in 2015, attracting clients like Dior, European aristocrats, and Saudi royals. Blanc-Tailleur's dedication shows in his meticulous detail and ability to realize clients' dreams. His signature style includes intricate sugar work, such as lifelike flowers and elaborate decorations. His cakes are not only visually stunning but also delicious, aiming for gastronomic pleasure. His commitment to classic French pastry has earned his business recognition as an Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant, a prestigious French government designation for businesses that protect and promote traditional French crafts.

🇫🇷Local selection – France1

Ritz Paris Le ComptoirFrançois Perret · Paris, FranceThe Ritz, Paris and its famous pastry chef François Perret have created a sublime pastry shop experience with Le Comptoir, a must-visit on the Parisian pastry scene and sure to remain an icon for many years. Open seven days a week for eat-in, takeaway and click-and-collect, Le Comptoir welcomes a new audience to Perret’s exquisite creations, and its luxurious cream, gold, and terracotta interiors provide an indulgent and rejuvenating welcome for every visitor. What’s on the menu? Chef Perret is known for his gastronomic range, from classic croissants and pains au chocolat to sophisticated sandwiches. His renowned madeleines come filled with raspberry or passion fruit; try the Tennis Balls full of sharp lemon and iced in white chocolate and, for summer 2024, the Madeleine Abricot infused with Jardin Vendôme tea. There are exceptional pâtisserie from the signature Mango Coconut Ritz au Lait to the Hazelnut Marble Entremet, along with all kinds of cookies, cakes, mille-feuille and pioneering pastry drinks. Along with César Ritz and Auguste Escoffier, François Perret is a name bound to Le Ritz, Paris, forever, and Le Comptoir a testament to his incredible vision in the pastry shop landscape.

🇫🇷Local selection – France3

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  Christophe LouieChristophe Louie · Paris, France
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  Bonbon CaféAngelo Musa · Dubai, UAE
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  NèuloJean-Pierre Quinonero · Paris, France

🇫🇷Local selection – France1

Aurélien CohenAurélien Cohen Pâtisserie · Asnières-sur-Seine, FranceParis pastry prodigy Aurélien Cohen wants to share his kitchen skills through masterclasses as much as he wants to sell you his delicious creations. Cohen began his life in pâtisserie making baked goods to order from his home, and grew an online fanbase through his user-friendly tutorials, which break down the complexity of fine pastry and chocolate to help anyone get decent results at home. Visit his Asnières-sur-Seine shop for a taste of his Paris-Tahiti choux with vanilla almond praline and whipped vanilla ganache, the Miss Coco Tartlet with whipped coconut ganache, coconut confit, and coconut almond praline, or the Chocolate Hazelnut Passion Tartlet with its milk chocolate ganache, hazelnut praline, and passion fruit caramel. His signature Miss Vanilla Tartlet is emblematic of the store and Cohen’s approach, which is to build textures alongside taste. Look out for his tours, popups and book, Architexture de la Pâtisserie.

🇫🇷Local selection – France1

Des Gâteaux Et Du PainClaire Damon · Paris, FranceThe two luxury Des Gâteaux et du Pain boutiques in Paris are the creation of the pioneering pastry chef Claire Damon, who grew up in the countryside of Auvergne and Aveyron and brings that early experience of the natural world and its edible treasures to her work in pastry. Damon's flagship bakery and lab, with its elegant black facade and interior, sells haute pâtisserie to both discerning locals and pastry tourists. Her creations are based on nuance and a drive back to the origin of true flavor and produce. She uses only ethical ingredients from small producers, such as organic eggs, Provençal almonds, organic French flour, freshly-churned butter, and Noirmoutier salt. Her signature ingredient is biodynamic or organic seasonal fruit, and her exceptional tarts put the essence of natural flavors front and center, from the Strawberry Garden Tart to Grapefruit Cheesecake, Lemon Absolute, and classic Breton Cake.

🇫🇷Local selection – France1

BernachonPhilippe Bernachon · Lyon, FranceFounded in 1953 by Maurice Bernachon, the Bernachon pastry shop in Lyon is now run by the third generation: Philippe as chocolatier, Stéphanie overseeing sales, and Candice managing the tearoom with her mother. Bernachon offers a range of classic French desserts, including the renowned chocolate cake Gateau President, which was also served in Paul Bocuse's restaurant. Specialties include the Tarte aux Fraises, Eclairs, and Mille-Feuilles, as well as the citrus-infused Cake à l'Orange and the rich, fruity Cake aux Fruits Confits. Each creation, from gourmet cakes to intricate entremets, showcases the family’s dedication to quality. The Bernachon family also takes pride in using locally sourced ingredients, such as cherries from the Lyonnais region, which they candy themselves. The artisanal approach shines through in every creation at Pastry Shop Bernachon, making it a cherished institution in Lyon's culinary scene.

🇫🇷Local selection – France2

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  BrigatThomas & Lucio Colombo · Paris, France
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  L’Ogre De CarrouselbergStéphanie Touzet & Matthieu Buchalski · Lille, France