This country wins the Pastry World Cup again and spoiler: it’s not France
If there’s one country where you’d expect to find the best pastry, it’s France. Croissants, eclairs, macarons and madeleines – it’s almost unthinkable that anyone could beat them on their home turf. But it happened nonetheless: Japan won the Pastry World Cup 2025 and successfully defended its title. The competition took place in Lyon, during the prestigious SIRHA Food Exhibition, and despite the passionate French home crowd, Japan was once again the best.
Sweet, spectacular and incredibly hard work
The Pastry World Cup is anything but a ‘piece of cake’. Each team consisted of three specialists: a chocolatier, a sugar expert and an ‘ice master’. The challenge? A perfectly executed frozen dessert, a restaurant dessert, an ice sculpture and a buffet display featuring sugar and chocolate creations representing their home country.
And that resulted in stunning creations. Italy went for Amalfi lemons and hazelnuts as an ode to Leonardo da Vinci, while Chile incorporated Limón de Pica, hibiscus and mango into its ice creation – with a dragon theme. But Japan, the big winner, used Kyomi oranges and rice wafers in its dragonfly theme, a nod to precision and elegance.
Will the Pastry World Cup disappear?
According to top chocolatier Jean-Philippe Darcis, the competition is in danger. He notes that young chefs nowadays would rather build a social media empire than take part in demanding professional competitions. But former World Cup winner and TV judge Christophe Michalak still believes in it: “I trained for ten days, ten hours a day each time, to win the title. It forces you to improve yourself and push your limits.”
Whether you dream of a career as a pastry chef or simply love impressive sweet treats – this competition remains a feast for the eyes (and the stomach). Now the big question is: who will beat Japan in the next competition in 2027?
Also read:
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- The great dessert horoscope: this dessert matches your zodiac sign
- Recipe: the Italian dessert risolatte
Image: cmpatisserie.com/source: TimeOut
