For the second consecutive year, a candidate from Nantes wins the final of the Macaron Amateur Contest. In 2015 Emmanuelle Pelé-Riou took the title, and in 2016 it was Olivier Chupin who has unanimously won over the jury with his raspberry, yuzu, and ginger macaroon because of its texture, balance and the surprise factor that the fresh raspberry introduces. Second place went to Fadila Aberkane, the candidate from Lyon, and her Pineapple Basil macaroon. And Pascal Rodin, from Montelimar, came in third with his vanilla bourbon flambéed banana macaroon.

Chupin made sure that he had the macaroon recipe list ten days before the final, after many tests and opinion exchanges with Vincent Guerlais, his coach and also promoter of this competition. “It was risky, but I opted for whole fresh raspberry, instead of the usual sweet fruit comfit. After several attempts with Asian fruit, I opted for the yuzu because it combines well with the freshness and acidity of sweet raspberry. Finally, I added the spicy touch of ginger. This way, the three flavors are perceived successively: raspberry first, then the yuzu and ginger at the end”.

On May 21, the day of the final, the 13 candidates from France, Italy and Canada, met at pastry chef Denis Matyasy‘s La Crau laboratory. For three hours they prepared their macaroons in front of an exceptional jury chaired by the pastry chef Christophe Felder and seconded by Mercotte, the event’s patron since 2012, who have highlighted the originality of all the pre-selected when choosing ingredients like Sudachi ganache or exotic carrot, among many others.