It was a long, intensive process, with many strong and talented candidates, but Team USA 2016 has been selected, according to a March 12 announcement from the Bread Bakers Guild of America.

Team USA will compete in the Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie on Feb. 5-9 during the 2016 Europain & Intersuc exposition and convention in Paris, France. This special event features the best bread bakers from across the world.

Team USA is as follows:

Baguette & Specialty Breads
Nicky Giusto
Central Milling/Keith Giusto Bakery Supply, Petaluma, CA

Viennoiserie
Jeffrey de Leon
Farmshop, Santa Monica, CA

Artistic Design
Jacob Baggenstos
Bakery Nouveau, Seattle, WA

“Our thanks to all of the candidates who participated in the process, and to our judges: Jory Downer, Jeffrey Hamelman, Ciril Hitz, Harry Peemoeller, Craig Ponsford, Mitch Stamm, and Solveig Tofte, who gave so generously of their time and expertise,” the Guild announced.

Bread Bakers Guild Team USA 2016 was selected after a series of rigorous auditions. Team USA will compete at the 2016 Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie (World Cup of Baking), an international, invitational competition held in Paris during the Europain trade show every several years. At the last Coupe in 2012, Team USA won the silver medal and an automatic invitation to the next competition.

Harry Peemoeller, a member of the 2012 team and senior instructor at Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte, NC, will serve as head coach.

Europain will take place February 5-9, 2016, at Paris-Nord Villepinte, France.

The Bread Bakers Guild of America is a non-profit organization comprised of professional bakers, farmers, millers, suppliers, educators, students, home bakers, technical experts, and bakery owners and managers who work together to support the principle and the practice of producing the highest quality baked goods. It was formed in 1993 to shape the skills and knowledge of the artisan baking community through education.