2010 Masters of Boulangerie
Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie
The result was announced on March 10:
- Pao-Chun WU, Master Baker in the BREAD category
- Thomas PLANCHOT, Master Baker in the VIENNESE PASTRY category
- François BRANDT, Master Baker in the ARTISTIC PIECE category
I'm from Taiwan, so I'm very proud of Mr. Wu's achievement, especially after knowing his background.
As the youngest of eight children, Mr. Wu came from a poor family that was raised solely by his mother. He started to work as a trainee after graduated from the junior high school (the ninth grade). His bread, which won the silver prize in 2008, was based on the ingredient that made him think of his mother. This year, the bread that Mr. Wu made for the competition as typical of Taiwan contained ingredients such as Taiwanese millet wine, dried lichee and roses.
In Taiwan, this kind of artisan-style bread is not widely accepted. People still used to pastry-like sweet bread (soft & rich; which was influenced by Japan) or traditional steamed buns. Most bakers do not master in artisan baking. But that has started to change.
The bread he made for 2010 Masters of Boulangerie (the bottles are Taiwanese millet wine)
my congratulations go out to all the winners. This was not, exactly the World Cup of Bread Baking.
This was the "Masters of Boulangerie" - where the best bakers from the 2008 Coup du Monde de la Boulangerie, the Loius Lesafre cup of 2007, and some "wild card" candidates were invited to bake.
Just to nitpick (gotta be me...) because the Coupe du Monde is a team competition where this is more of an individual one.
It is a distinguished group of bakers and Taiwan is coming up fast as a world power in artisan baking. You have a right to be proud!
If you have pictures of other things, we'd be happy to see them!
I'll make the change.
I am impressed with the breads, and would love to see the crumb shot to compare to regular style breads.
Baking seems to be more of interest now, and not so just for eating as it used to be. My mother would be amazed at the Fresh Loaf and other web sites, she just made bread because it was cheaper to make it at home than buy it!