A Frenchman has won the title of world’s best pâté en croûte, bringing the title back to the dish’s country of origin after years of domination from Japanese chefs.
The final of the Champion du monde pâté en croûte was held in Lyon on Monday, with south-west France’s Thibault Gonzales taking the prize.
The 42-year-old father of one from Thuir in Pyrenees-Orientales won with his creation of pâté made from Basque pork belly, duck breast, foie gras and veal sweetbreads wrapped in pastry.
Pâté en croûte is a French staple – pressed meat wrapped in short-crust pastry, it is ubiquitous in supermarkets, charcuteries and market stalls, served either hot or cold as a snack or light lunch.
But despite its French pedigree, Japanese chefs have won the ‘world cup’ four times in the last five years – this year Japanese chef Seigo Ishimoto, who runs a French restaurant in Chiba, came third with his venison, wild boar and duck pâté.
Frenchman Jonathan Dudek came second in the competition, in which judges, including chefs, food writers and butchers, judged 16 finalists in a blind tasting.
Winner Thibault, with tears in his eyes, described his winning pâté en croûte as “the culmination of two years’ work”.
AloJapan.com