Twelve countries (Italy, Tunisia, Japan, China, Mexico, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Brazil, Malaysia, France, and Mali) participated in the FIPGC World Championship of Pastry, Gelato, and Chocolate, which took place on October 14 and 15 at Host fieramilano. Around the theme “The music of your nation”, this biennial competition had three different categories: sculpture in chocolate and pralines; sculpture in artistic sugar and modern cake; sculpture in pastillage and single-portion gelato.

The French team, made up of Luc Bodin, Nabil Barina, Amaury Lafonta,  with Chrikioui Charaf Eddine as coach, in addition to winning the championship, received the special prize for best single-portion gelato. China came in second position and collected the best modern cake special award, and Japan ranked third and was recognized as best praline. Likewise, the jury also awarded the following awards: journalistic criticism to Ecuador and best pastille sculpture to Peru.

“The technical elevation, particularly of six of the competing teams, was more evident than ever before: not only in terms of impressive artistic structures, which were realized with the utmost care, but also in terms of tasting,” says Matteo Cutolo, president of FIPGC. “Both aspects have undergone a marked evolution: for example, France has taken a ‘futurist’ approach, projecting artistic works into a future in which, although artificial intelligence is increasingly present, the soul of confectionery always remains the manual skill of the craftsman and artist. A factor that remains clearly evident in the hand-carved competition pieces”.