Pastry World Cup 2025 Results

Japan_frozen_dessert-©_julienbouvier.com

At the end of January the Japanese pastry team were again winners of the Pastry World Cup in Lyon France.  This was a back to back victory for Japan having taken gold in the 2023 final of the biannual contest, which is considered to be the toughest culinary contest in the world. The contest is 9 hours of skill, focus, stamina and an exercise in how to stay calm under the pressure of live television cameras. 

Usually 3 or 4 television networks from around the world come to this event which they treat like a live sporting event, filming the finishing touches of each team as they present their dessert to the judges table.  The presenters also interview various chef judges and past winners to give the viewer added drama to this culinary spectacle.  The event is held in a large auditorium with bleacher seating that holds around 500 spectators, plus members of the press and food world.  Just like sports fans, each team’s supporters cheer their team on.

Japan’s chocolate showcase

The contest takes place for two days in late January, each 3 person team must produce 2 frozen desserts, restaurant style desserts and a new Showcase Chocolate dessert. They also have to create 3 artistic pieces: sugar, chocolate, and ice.  In the 2025 final, there were 18 teams from around the world (Japan, France, Belgium, United Kingdom, Malaysia, China, Italy, South Korea, Singapore, Argentina, Philippines, Morocco, Paraguay, Chile, Colombia, Mauritius, Mexico and Egypt), that reached the final via regional finals around the world.

This photo below is of Japan’s buffet table with chocolate and sugar sculptures, frozen dessert, restaurant dessert, chocolate showcase and ice carving on display. To give you an idea of scale the sculptures themselves are about 4 foot tall!

Japan_sugar_chocolate_sculptures-©_julienbouvier.com
 
France came second in this prestigious contest, as they did back in 2023 which is particularly gutting for them since the contest was created and is always in Lyon, France, which is considered the home of French gastronomy. This final photograph is France’s buffet table, which is also stunning showing you just how slim the margins are in this elite competition.
 
France_sugar_chocolate_sculptures-©_julienbouvier.com
 
As a food journalist I am able to get access to the official photograhps and share a few of them with my readers.   I also have Pinterest board dedicated to this contest and the amazing pastry skills on display. 
 
The final results of the 2025 Pastry World Cup:
 
1. Japan
2. France
3. Malaysia
4. China
5. Belgium
6. Italy
7. South Korea
8. Singapore
9. United Kingdom
10.Argentina
11. Philippines
12. Morocco
13. Paraguay
14. Chile
15. Colombia
16. Mauritius
17. Mexico
18. Egypt
 
Congratulations to all the chefs who took part, you will cherish the memories.
 
Here are my other articles about the Pastry World Cup:
 
 

Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie©Kevin Ashton 2025

27 thoughts on “Pastry World Cup 2025 Results”

  6. This is fascinating, Kevin! My daughter, her husband and my grandson just came back from three weeks in Japan (they love it there) and all they could talk about was the chocolate!

    When my husband and I were there many years ago, we visited a bakery with unbelievable cookies and cakes. We bought some samples but they tasted like cardboard. I suspect they had the vision but not the ingredients and I know things have changes.

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    1. After reading your comment I am very curious to try Japanese chocolate, I have friends visiting Japan at the moment so I’ll ask them to get me a sample.
      Best Wishes
      Kevin 🙂

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    1. That is a great question Sailor, each World Cup the organisers dicide a theme. This year it was culture, so each team created desserts and sculptures based their country’s culture and history. As for favourite themes, I still vividly remember the theme chosen by the Dutch team in 2009 World Cup…they chose James Bond 007 as their theme. As the team set up their sugar and chocolate sculptures infront of live Television cameras their sugar sculpture collapsed annd fell off the display table into a million pieces. It stunned the whole room into silence….such is the drama!

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    1. It certainly is Cindy. If you’re ever in France when the Pastry World Cup is taking place it is well worth, taking at look at this amazing event filmed in front of live TV cameras.

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