Film

More Than Your Average Ace of Cakes

D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus capture the Kings of Pastry

Sep 24, 2010

More Than Your Average Ace of Cakes

 

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Imagine a scene never before witnessed: Sixteen French pastry chefs gathered in Lyon for three intense days of mixing, piping and sculpting everything from delicate chocolates to six-foot sugar sculptures in hopes of being declared by President Nicolas Sarkozy one of the best. This is the prestigious Meilleurs Ouvriers de France competition (Best Craftsmen in France).

Filmmakers D A Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus (Dont Look Back, The War Room) secured exclusive access to shoot this epic, never-before-filmed test of France’s finest artisans. Kings of Pastry follows chef Jacquy Pfeiffer, co-founder of Chicago’s French Pastry School, as he journeys back to his childhood home of Alsace to practice for the contest. “The M.O.F is not about doing the best that you can do, but the best that can be done,” says Pfeiffer.

The finalists, France’s culinary elite, risk their reputations as well as sacrifice family and finances in pursuit of this lifelong distinction of excellence. Similar to the Olympics, the three-day contest takes place every four years and it requires that the chefs not only have extraordinary skill and nerves of steel, but also a lot of luck. During the grueling final competition, chefs work under constant scrutiny by master judges and the critical palates of some of the world’s most renowned chefs evaluate their elaborate pastries. Finally, these pastry marathoners racing the clock must hand carry all their creations including their fragile sugar sculptures through a series of rooms to a final buffet area without shattering them.

And if you’re thinking this sounds like another Ace of Cakes or any similar TLC shows, think again. Becoming a M.O.F. is a lifelong dream for French artisans that can only come true by seeking excellence. The blue, white and red striped collar worn on the jackets of the winners is more than the ultimate recognition for every pastry chef—it’s a dream and an obsession.

Kings of Pastry is currently playing at the Film Forum.