UK team 'disappointed' by ninth place at the World Pastry Cup

By Peter Ruddick

- Last updated on GMT

Related tags World pastry cup Chef

The UK team has expressed 'disappointment' at the ninth place they received in this week's World Pastry Cup where, amongst other things, they had to make an ice cream cake and a cake using Valrhona chocolate
The UK team has expressed 'disappointment' at the ninth place they received in this week's World Pastry Cup where, amongst other things, they had to make an ice cream cake and a cake using Valrhona chocolate
Martin Chiffers, president of the UK's Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie club, has described the team's ninth place in the World Pastry Cup as 'disappointing'. 

In a special audio report for BigHospitality, Chiffers said the team had hoped for a top seven finish​ and believed they had done everything they could to produce the best pieces possible.

The UK trio of Javier Mercado, Nicolas Bouhelier and Nicolas Belorgey did win the best poster prize but ended up placing below eventual winners France as well as seven other teams including the USA, Belgium and Australia.

Money

Chiffers admitted the quality of entries had been high but said he thought some teams had benefited from greater levels of sponsorship: "A lot of moulds were used by other countries, moulds which the UK doesn't have funding for. The competition is all about how much money you have got to invest in that kind of thing."

BigHospitality was given exclusive access to the UK team in training and at the contest this week in Lyon - in our special audio report we take a behind the scenes look at the World Pastry Cup, speak to the team before and during the contest and chat to Raymond Blanc from Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons.

Pastry chefs

Speaking after the results were announced, the former executive pastry chef at The Savoy explained he thought judges from some of the newer countries had voted for spectacular displays that lacked levels of skill and taste which other participants, like the UK, had displayed.

Ivory Coast and Egypt were competing in the World Pastry Cup for the first time.

He also suggested politics may have been at play in the judging but said it would not stop the UK from competing next time around in 2015.

"We took part and I think we did our country proud anyway. It is not going to discourage us, we want the UK to be represented every year - I think it is good for the industry and good for the advancement of younger, up-and-coming pastry chefs in the UK."

For a look at some of the amazing sights from the contest in Lyon, including the UK's desserts and showpieces - check out our photo gallery here.

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