The Michelin Guide recently published a list of the most exciting food destinations in the world, but for pastry lovers out there, one country should be top of your list.
France? We thought so too, but no, the land of croissants, eclairs, macarons and madeleines was beaten to the crown of the 2025 Pastry World Cup by (drum roll, please) Japan! It defended its title at the competition in Lyon over the weekend, despite the French home crowd.
As you can imagine, crafting so much food is no piece of cake – it’s a gruelling competition and it took place on the sidelines of the SIRHA Food Exhibition, with fans packed into the rafters, waving flags and chanting their teams names.
Each team (which included a chocolatier, a sugar expert and an ice master) was challenged with making a frozen dessert, a restaurant dessert, an ice sculpture and a buffet display of sugar and chocolate centrepieces, which pays homage to their home country in their taste and appearance.
Italy utilised Amalfi lemons and hazelnuts to create pastries inspired by Leonardo da Vinci, Chile used Limón de Pica, hibiscus and mango to flavour their dragon-themed frozen dessert and champions Japan had Kyomi orange and rice-based wafers featured in their dragonfly theme.
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According to reports from euronews, the atmosphere at the event was palpable. However, chocolatier Jean-Philippe Darcis expressed concerns that the long-standing competition, which has been running since 1989, could be at risk as younger chefs focus on making a living from social media rather than engaging with competitions.
But former World Cup winner and TV judge Christophe Michalak said there’s still lots to gain from these comps. ‘When I did the World Cup, I did ten mock exams, in other words, I worked ten 10-hour days, as if it was D-day, to win the title. By doing that, I got better, I pushed my limits, and that’s what’s great in life. The priority is to try and go a little further, to try and evolve. And that’s what this competition allows young pastry chefs to do.’
So, whether you’re keen to hone your craft as a budding pastry chef, or feast your eyes (and your tummy) on some sweet creations, you can read more about the competition here.
These are the best bakeries in Tokyo, and for good measure, the best patisseries in Paris, too. Oh, and you can read all about the World Cheese Awards here.
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