After the national and international selection events that have been held over the past two years throughout Europe, Asia and Latin America, 20 teams have earned the right to compete in the World Pastry Cup on Jan. 23-24, 2011, in Lyon, France.

Teams composed of a pastry Chef, a chocolate specialist and an ice-cream maker will demonstrate their skills and know-how. Their challenge will be to express and to defend their culinary and cultural heritage and to promote the latest trends in their respective countries.

Under the presidency of Gabriel Paillasson, its founder, the World Pastry Cup will have two honorary presidents for its 2011 edition: Usuke Takahashi and Kazuaki Takaï. These professionals of international repute are the presidents of the two most important Japanese professional associations and attest to the openness of the contest to pastry art to all horizons of the world.

Over its twenty years of existence, the World Pastry Cup has elevated pastry to the status of an art in its own right. The spectacular creations masterfully prepared by the different teams over the years attest to this. From the stands, the public will witness of a wide range of international artistic tastes.

The association of three expert skills - pastry, chocolate and ice-cream making- reinforced with a strong team spirit, reveals the best trends of the moment.