A sweet triumph: Japan wins the World Pastry Cup

Team Japan claimed victory at Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie, the Pastry World Cup, held in Lyon, France, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.

Pastry from all over the world
Photo credit: instagram.cmpatisserie.jpg/ Canva

The competition brought together 18 teams from around the world. Each team was made up of three members: specialists in chocolate, frozen dessert and sugar. Teams were tasked with creating a frozen dessert, a restaurant dessert, an ice sculpture, and a buffet display featuring sugar and chocolate centerpieces that reflected their country's culture.

Mexican team
Mexican team. Photo credit: instagram.com/cmpatisserie

Interestingly, participants showcased their national identity not only through their desserts but also in their attire. The French team wore Breton-striped shirts and berets, the Mexicans donned sugar skull masks, and the Chinese team sported festive headpieces.

Japanese team's dessert
Japanese team’s dessert. Photo credit: instagram.com/cmpatisserie

The Japanese team impressed the judges with the refinement and precision of their desserts, as well as their unique approach to artistic elements. Their frozen dessert, primarily made with apricots, was delicately flavored with yuzu, a fragrant Japanese citrus fruit, and was inspired by the traditional Japanese spinning top, evoking childhood memories of playing with this toy.

Japanese team’s frozen dessert
Japanese team’s frozen dessert. Photo credit: instagram.com/cmpatisserie

Each dessert was not only a culinary masterpiece but also a visual one, emphasizing refined aesthetics and a harmonious balance of flavors.

Japanese team’s buffet display
Japanese team’s buffet display. Photo credit: instagram.com/cmpatisserie

The Italian team presented a chocolate dessert inspired by Da Vinci's early flying machines, particularly the airship. Captivated by its elongated shape, they recreated it using a chocolate shell, presenting an original and imaginative dessert.

Italian team’s chocolate
Italian team’s chocolate. Photo credit: instagram.com/cmpatisserie
Italian team’s frozen dessert
Italian team’s frozen dessert. Photo credit: instagram.com/cmpatisserie

This dessert, titled Da Vinci Code, is a special blend of technique and precision, emerging as a work of art that seemed to come straight from Da Vinci’s workshop.

Chinese team’s frozen dessert
Chinese team’s frozen dessert. Photo credit: instagram.com/cmpatisserie

The Chinese team’s frozen dessert was themed around the rich cultural heritage of Dunhuang, drawing its core inspiration from the lotus featured in Dunhuang murals. The lotus, symbolizing purity and vitality in Dunhuang art, is an important image in Chinese traditional culture.

Mexican team’s restaurant dessert
Mexican team’s restaurant dessert. Photo credit: instagram.com/cmpatisserie

The Mexican team's restaurant dessert was inspired by Mictlan, the underworld in Mexica mythology, which plays a pivotal role in Mexico's cosmogony. The dessert symbolized transcendence and the enduring connection between the living and the departed.

Below is a selection of other striking and interesting desserts presented by the teams across various categories:

Buffet display of Team France
Buffet display of Team France. Photo credit: instagram.com/cmpatisserie
South Korean Team
South Korean Team. Photo credit: instagram.com/cmpatisserie
Buffet display of Team Philippines
Buffet display of Team Philippines. Photo credit: instagram.com/cmpatisserie
Restaurant Dessert of Morocco
Restaurant Dessert of Morocco. Photo credit: instagram.com/cmpatisserie
Frozen Dessert of Malaysia
Frozen Dessert of Malaysia. Photo credit: instagram.com/cmpatisserie

Earlier Kazinform reported that four restaurants from Kazakhstan were included in the list of the best establishments in the world Top-1000 Restaurants 2025, compiled by the authoritative gastronomic rating La Liste. 

 

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