Le Meilleur Pâtissier

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Le Meilleur Pâtissier (The Best Baker) is a French culinary reality show broadcast on M6 since 2012 and in Belgium on RTL-TVI1.

Adapted from the British show The Great British Bake Off that has aired in the UK since October 2010, it is presented by Julia Vignali (previously presented by Faustine Bollaert from 2012 to 2016).^[1] The jury consists of chef Cyril Lignac and culinary blogger Jacqueline Mercorelli, better known by her stage name "Mercotte". They are frequently joined by guest judges.

There have been six seasons of the main show, in which amateur bakers compete to be crowned The Best Baker. There have also been two celebrity series, whose winners have published a recipe book; the book's proceeds are donated to the Fondation de France charitable organisation. 2017 saw the introduction of Le Meilleur Patissier: Les Professionnels,^[2] which follows a similar format to the UK show's spin-off Bake Off: Crème de la Crème.

The broadcast is followed by an aftershow entitled Le Meilleur Pâtissier: À vos fourneaux (The Best Baker: To your ovens).

Production and organisation[]

Filming[]

The main series is shot in the grounds of various French castles: the first series at the Château de Neuville in Gambais,^[3] the fifth at the Château de Maillebois near Chartres^[4] and the rest at the Château de Groussay in Montfort-l'Amaury.^[5]

Since one episode takes two days to film, it takes six weeks in total to shoot each series.^[6]

Presentation and voice-over[]

Faustine Bollaert presented the programme from the launch episode^[7] until the second celebrity special series in 2017 (Meilleur Pâtissier, spécial célébrités), just before her departure for France 2.^[8] Since then (series 6), Julia Vignali has presented.^[9]

Nathalie Homs, meanwhile, performs the voice-over.^[10]

Casting and selection of contestants[]

There are several phases involved in the programme’s casting process. For each series, the production team receives between 4,000 and 5,000 applications along with candidates’ photos. After reviewing these, only 400 to 600 amateur bakers are selected to visit the production offices where on-camera casting is carried out. Would-be contestants arrive with two cakes. The first is a specific example of traditional French patisserie. The second is a personal creation. A shortlist of forty is selected and a “life-size” test then carried out in a professional kitchen in the presence of Mercotte and Julia Vignali among others. Here, fourteen candidates emerge who will go on to participate in the programme.^[10]

Judges[]

Cyril Lignac (from series 1)

Jacqueline Mercorelli, stage name "Mercotte" (from series 1, except for Les Professionnels)

Philippe Conticini (only in series 1 and 2 of Les Professionnels)

Pierre Hermé (only in Les Professionnels)

Frédéric Bau (only in series 1 of Les Professionnels)

Audrey Gellet (only in series 2 of Les Professionnels)

Benoît Blin (only in series 3 of Les Professionnels)

Format[]

Each episode, amateur bakers compete through a series of challenges to be completed within the allotted time: the signature bake, the technical bake, the creative bake and the “carte blanche” or “second-chance” bake.

Some challenges consist of attempting to reproduce traditional recipes or those of guest pastry chefs. The recipes are occasionally discussed by experts such as historian Ségolène Lefebvre, editor-in-chief of Journal du pâtissier Franck Lacroix, pastry chef Philippe Conticini or food writer Kilien Stengel.

The challenges

Signature bake/ “Revisited” classic[]

This challenge consists of contestants making their own home recipes according to a given theme. For example, for the theme of tarts a contestant might bake a tarte aux pommes (the French equivalent of an apple pie).

Technical bake[]

Here, the bakers make a classic of either French or foreign baking by scrupulously following a recipe provided by Mercotte. However, she deliberately omits certain details with the aim of judging the contestants’ technique and know-how.

Creative bake[]

This phase involves inventing a recipe based on a given theme. With presentation being taken into account, contestants’ skills, creativity and aesthetic sensibilities are all put to the test. A VIP guest (e.g. a Meilleur Ouvrier de France or a pastry chef) joins the normal judges for this challenge.

“Carte blanche” / “Second-chance” bake (series 1 and 2)[]

Having completed these three challenges, the bakers who made the worst desserts face off in this last test, which involves revisiting a classic of French patisserie. At the end of the challenge, the judges choose the contestants who will continue the adventure and those who will go home. This challenge was dropped from series 3 onwards, with the unsuccessful contestant now being chosen at the end of the creative bake.

First season (2012)[]

Contestants[]

Contestants	Age	Profession	Origin
Thomas Boursier	24	Laboratory technician	Lille
Sébastien Megner	31	Municipal employee	Lyon
Amandine Gayetin	29	Executive assistant	Lyon
Delphine Mounagne	35	Social worker	Monfort
Élodie Pouset	31	Unemployed	Ermont
Sylvie Coustarot	43	Brand manager	Valencin
Éric Esses	50	Sub-brigadier	Niort
Stéphane Chenique	34	Sales executive	Romorantin
Wilfried Eronise	23	Caregiver	Brugheas
Jacqueline Wilhelm	62	Retired	Namur

Second edition (2013)[]

Contestants[]

Contestants	Age	Profession	Origin
Mounir Badaneu	30	Merchant	Neuchâtel
Gérald Vigne	40	Route driver	Saint-Nabord
Agathe Moreau	27	Laboratory technique	Bauvin
Aurélie Waner	28	Product manager	Paris
Sabrina Martin	31	Communication advisor	Mulhouse
Jean-Marie Evinseké	26	Chemical student	Argenteuil
Stella Degne	55	Fruit wholesaler	Toulon
Jessica Ganeret	31	Stay-at-home mom	Arlon
Isabelle de Verês	30	Communication officer	Nantes
Benjamin Simon	34	Restaurant manager	Bagnolet

Third season (2014)[]

Contestants[]

Contestants	Age	Profession	Origin
Anne-Sophie Wassel	29	Vlogger	London
Abdelkarim Sadik	33	IT consultant	Argenteuil
Émilie Vigne	28	Former communications director	Metz
Julien Vesse	36	Flute professor	Nancy
Imane Sorte	33	On parental leave	Saint-Arnoult-en-Yvelines
Benjamin Galaté	27	Territorial technician	Villeneuve-d'Ascq
Pascal Epreveux	43	Former construction worker	Montpellier
Fabienne Trese	58	Unemployed	Gambais
Isabelle Etitimerkel	36	Stay-at-home mom	Bastogne
Muriel Simon	58	Maternal assistant	Moisenay
Antoine Dritton	27	Mannequin	Combrée

References[]