Jamie Houghton Announced as the President of the UK Pastry Team at The Pastry World Cup

PASTRY WORLD CUP POSTPONEMENT – NEW DATES 24th & 25th of September 2021 in Lyon.

Due to the current health situation that the world is still facing over a year now, the organization of Sirha Lyon has decided to reschedule the 2021 edition of the show that will be held from Thursday 23rd to Monday 27th September, in Eurexpo Lyon (France). Consequently, the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie will take place from Friday 24th to Saturday 25th September 2021.

The Bocuse d’Or competition will be held straight after on Sunday 26th and Monday 27th of September.

2020 was obviously marked by the COVID-19 crisis. The organizers as well as the competitors were forced to adapt the selection rules to local health constraints and event cancellations. While the European continental selection was the only one to be held in January 2020 in Paris, all the other selections were made on points and based on the podiums of 2018.

The 20 teams now qualified for the 2021 Pastry World Cup are ALGERIA, ARGENTINA, BRAZIL, CHILE, CHINA, EGYPT, FRANCE, ITALY, JAPAN, KUWAIT, MALAYSIA, MEXICO, MOROCCO, RUSSIA, SINGAPORE, SOUTH KOREA, SWEDEN, SWITZERLAND, TAIWAN and UK.

Chaired by Pierre Hermé with the help of Claire Heitzler and Frédéric Cassel (Vice – President) and managed by an entirely renewed International Organization Committee, the Pastry World Cup created more than 30 years ago is an unmissable event that celebrates excellence, passion and the transmission of know-how between generation while at the same time it encourages innovation.

UK TEAM 2021

TEAM PRESIDENT – Jamie HOUGHTON – Pastry Sous Chef at Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’saisons

Chef Houghton is a creative and talented pastry chef with many accolades, including having captained the UK team at the Pastry World Cup in 2019. The team were placed 5th overall and he won the Best Sugar Display Cup. Working at high levels of quality in a supervisory role, including 7 years at 2 Michelin star level, he always works to the best of his ability. He is a determined and committed worker who is eager to extend his knowledge and aptitudes. He considers his teamwork skills and practical skills to be particular strengths.

He has also participated in several pastry competitions in UK and in France. The Annual Awards of Excellence in 2014, the UK Junior Sugar Championships (he achieved first place) in 2014, and the Stéphane Glacier National trophies of Sugar Art in 2015 where he took third place.

SUGAR CATEGORY – Nicolas HOUCHET – Deputy Head of Pastry at Le Cordon Bleu, London

Born in Nancy, France, Pastry chef for 22 years, he studied pâtisserie for 5 years as an apprentice at Restaurant Hammerer where he trained under an award-winning mentor, Jean Claude Hammerer (Pastry Chef of the year 2000). After working in 5-star hotel, Chef Nicolas travelled to England where he set up his own pâtisserie: Macaron – that won the TimeOut Best London Pâtisserie 2006. He has been teaching at LCB London since 2010 and has been candidate in competitions in the UK Pastry Open in 2017 and 2020, selected as reserve sugar candidate for the Pastry World Cup in 2019.

CHOCOLATE CATEGORY – Michael, HO LAM KWAN – Head Pastry Chef at Hotel Café Royal, London

Michael Kwan has over 14 years of experience in the industry. He started his career as an apprentice in Hong Kong where he also earned his Diploma in Hotel Culinary Management. After working at Island Shangri-La Hong Kong, he moved to London to pursue his passion. He started to work at Ladurée, after which he accumulated experiences working at various Michelin starred restaurants, including The Fat Duck and Hakkasan, and is currently the Head Pastry Chef at the five-star Hotel Cafe Royal in London. Michael is meticulous and smart with his methods, detailed oriented and ingenious with his pastry creations.

Michael has taken parts in numerous completions and proven himself on the world stage. He represented the UK team in the Coupe du Monde de la Patisserie in 2019 as the president while the team finished 5th and won the Best Sugar Piece. Also, he won the UK Sugar Championship 2019.

ICE CATEGORY and TEAM CAPTAIN – Chris SEDDON – Executive Pastry Chef at Qoot co.

Chris has worked for a number of London’s high-class hotels, including the likes of Claridges, the Savoy and the Connaught.

Experiences working with talented pastry chefs, pulling all the pieces together whilst adding his own touch have allowed him to go on to head the pastry operations at Coutt Bank, Yauatcha and Dominique Ansel.

He was also part of the UK Pastry team in 2019 that reached 5th place in the world at the Pastry World Cup which was the UK’s highest finishing position, with the ice piece he carved placed 2nd.

Credit photo: Jodi Hinds