This past weekend, the grand final of the 6th edition of the Fruits de Talent – Andros Chef pastry competition took place in France, bringing together the country’s most promising young pastry talents.

Organised by Andros Chef, this national French pastry competition celebrates fruit as the central ingredient in modern pastry creation and highlights the essential role played by culinary schools, trainers, and apprenticeship mentors in passing on know‑how and excellence.

The 2026 edition was chaired by Angelo Musa, Meilleur Ouvrier de France 2007 and World Pastry Champion 2003, and sponsored by Claire Santos Lopes, Pastry Chef at the Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa in Champillon (France). Once again, the competition showcased creativity, technical excellence, and bold interpretations of fruit‑based pastry.

Fruits de Talent Andros Chef – A High‑Pressure Final in France

The eight finalists arrived on Friday, April 24, accompanied by their coaches, and were welcomed in Biars‑sur‑Cère (Lot, France), at the heart of Andros’ centre of excellence: L’Atelier du Fruit & du Végétal Andros, located in Altillac (Corrèze), as well as at the experimental orchard.

The first day was dedicated to immersing the candidates in our fruit expertise, including tours of processing facilities and orchards. This was followed by a technical warm‑up session:

equipment demonstrations (including Unox ovens, a long‑standing competition partner),
weighing of Andros Chef fruit ingredients,
preparation of ice cream and sorbet bases,
and the first pastry components (sponges, doughs, etc.),
all completed within one intense hour.

On Saturday morning at 7:00 a.m., the final competition began. Candidates started every ten minutes according to their assigned workstation and had 7.5 hours to complete a demanding programme, using recipes strictly identical to those presented during the selection phase.

The programme included:

12 shop-style entremets, containing at least 50% fruit and three different textures
8 “bistro-style” sharing desserts
10 ice cream sundaes, reinterpretations of a classic French pastry
3 travel cakes (gâteaux de voyage)

This comprehensive challenge tested both technical mastery and creative expression, reflecting the exceptionally high standards of this French final.

Winners of the 6th Edition

🥇 First Prize

Jade Belleville – Ecole de Paris des Métiers de la Table

Jade Belleville won first prize with a performance that was precise, creative, and flawlessly executed. She is awarded an invitation to the final of the Fruits de Talent Andros competition in China, as well as professional internships and masterclasses for her training establishment.

Special congratulations go to her apprenticeship mentor and sous‑chef pastry at The Peninsula Paris, Anne‑Louise Durieupeyroux, who also received the ANFP Trophy (French National Association of Pastry Trainers), recognising outstanding commitment to training and knowledge transmission.

Jury Head judge Angelo Musa & Andros Chairman Florian Delmas.

🥈 Second Prize

Germain Douysset – École de Boulangerie et de Pâtisserie de Paris

Coached by Mickaël Bolaingue, Production Chef at Arnaud Larher (Paris), Germain secured second place thanks to his high‑level technical precision and structured approach.

Claire Santos Lopes, Godmother of this edition & Maxime Gervoson, Directeur Générale du Commerce du groupe Andros.

🥉 Third Prize

Tina Vogt – CMA Formation Blois

Coached by Clément Réauté, Pastry Chef at Christophe Hay’s restaurant in Blois, Tina reached the third step of the podium. Congratulations to her for this achievement.

Prix remis par Julien Déjoué, Directeur Food Service Europe et Patrice Ibarboure, Meilleur Ouvrier de France Pâtissier 2019.

Special Awards

🎨 Creativity Award

Gaspard Forget from CFA Interpro Chartres (coach Evan Bueb Guinchard). Honoured for the boldness and originality of his creations.

Jean-Christophe Jeanson, Meilleur Ouvrier de France Pâtissier 2018 & Yann Nieul, Directeur Food Service France.

❤️ People’s Choice Award

Marine Le Crom – Ferrandi Campus de Rennes (coach & trainer Mathieu Jourdain). Recognised for the emotion and sensitivity conveyed through her dessert.

Prix remis par Frédéric Gervoson, Président du Conseil de Surveillance du groupe Andros et Thierry Charrier, Chef des cuisines au Ministère des Affaires étrangères.

Remarkable Finalists

Selected from 37 initial applications across France, all finalists delivered an outstanding level of work throughout the competition. Jury members and the public alike praised their consistency, commitment, and overall quality.

Among them:

Louann Chanson – Lycée Rabelais, Brassac‑les‑Mines
Romane Salomon – CMA Versailles
Maryline Leonhard – Rungis Training Centre

For each of these young talents, reaching the final of this prestigious French competition marks an important milestone in their professional journey.

From left to right: Maryline Leonhard, Louann Chanson, Germain Douysset, Jade Belleville, Tina Vogt, Marine Le Crom, Romane Salomon, Garpard Forget

A Jury Committed to Education and Excellence

The demanding standards of this edition would not have been possible without the dedication of the 15‑member jury, whose expertise and support were essential throughout the day.

Angelo Musa, Annabelle Levêque, Damien Gibault, Sébastien Pejus, Vincent Durant, Jules Dutertre, Carlos Marques, David Alves, Olivier du Peloux, Thierry Charrier, Sébastien Trudelle, Claire Santos Lopes, Florian Delmas, Fabrizio Galla, Patrice Ibarboure, Jean‑Christophe Jeanson.

Special thanks are also extended to Dominique Campergue and Stéphane Augé for their invaluable contribution to organising the competition.

📸 Photo credit: Marc Allenbach

Watch the Final Replay

For those who were unable to attend — or who wish to relive the highlights — the entire final was broadcast live and is now available on replay on the Andros Chef YouTube channel.

This replay offers a unique opportunity to step inside the competition, follow the candidates’ meticulous work, and experience the intensity of this exceptional French pastry event.

👉 Link

A Spring Edition Full of Creativity

With vibrant colours, fresh seasonal fruits, refined textures, and perfectly balanced flavours, this 6th edition of Fruits de Talent – Andros Chef fully celebrated the spirit of spring.

Each creation reflected a thoughtful and artistic interpretation of fruit, revealing bold pairings, precise flavour profiles, and high‑level craftsmanship. Discover the candidates’ desserts and be inspired by the world of France’s pastry talents of tomorrow.

🌸 Louann Chanson – Pastry as a Means of Expression

For Louann Chanson, a finalist from Lycée Rabelais in Brassac‑les‑Mines (France), pastry is first and foremost a form of expression and sharing:

“Being able to express my creativity through pastry, and above all bringing pleasure to those who taste my desserts, is what I love most.”

During the final, Louann presented spring‑inspired creations filled with freshness and sensitivity. Her shop dessert L’Éclosion combined a rhubarb and strawberry confit with a delicate basil ganache. In a more indulgent and convivial spirit, her bistro‑style dessert Le Jardin brought together red fruit confit, almond crumble, and fresh strawberries and raspberries.

🌸 Romane Salomon’s Creations

Romane Salomon imagined delicate, floral creations inspired by the plant world and seasonality. For her shop dessert Jardin Rougeoyant, she presented a jasmine‑infused raspberry cake, refined and aromatic.

She also created a rhubarb flower choux pastry, filled with rhubarb marmalade and poached rhubarb, resulting in an elegant and unmistakably spring‑like dessert.

For Romane, reaching the final represented:

“A real opportunity to grow, push myself beyond my limits, and showcase my skills.”

🌸 Germain Douysset’s Creations

For this final, Germain Douysset delivered a committed and technically controlled performance, driven by a strong desire to progress. His shop dessert Tourbillon Printanier combined crunchy granola, raspberry‑yuzu compote, and raspberry gel, offering a subtle balance of freshness, acidity, and indulgence.

On the ice‑cream side, Germain presented La Douceur Fraisienne, a frozen reinterpretation of the classic French fraisier, blending strawberry sweetness with lemon compote for a dessert that was both fresh and elegant.

For Germain, taking part in the competition held a special meaning:

“To push myself further, highlight Andros products, and take my revenge after not being selected last year.”

🌿 Marine Le Crom’s Creations

During the final, Marine Le Crom chose to challenge herself and fully explore her pastry universe. Her travel cake L’Escapade en Sous‑Bois featured a blackcurrant‑raspberry cake paired with red fruit confit, delivering a rich, indulgent creation with subtle woodland notes.

For her shop dessert, Marine presented La Fraise en Rosée, a fresh and bold composition combining fresh strawberries, crispy Breton gavotte, strawberry compote with pesto, and arugula gel — a modern interplay of sweetness and vegetal freshness.

For Marine, the experience represented above all:

“Putting myself to the test and learning more about pastry — and about myself.”

🌿 Jade Belleville’s Creations

The grand winner of this 6th edition, Jade Belleville impressed the jury with the precision of her flavour pairings and the mastery of her techniques. For her ice‑cream coupe Cueillette Glacée, she proposed a refined reinterpretation of the fraisier, combining strawberry coulis and sorbet, vanilla siphon cream, and a flower‑shaped cigarette tuile, bringing elegance and delicacy to the tasting experience.

For her bistro dessert, Jade imagined Jardin d’Agrumes, a fresh and tangy composition built around Breton sablé, candied lemon, and grapefruit mousse — a bright, spring‑inspired take on citrus fruits.

For Jade, the competition was above all an opportunity:

“To learn more every day and push myself in a challenge such as this competition.”

🌸 Tina Vogt’s Creations

In this final, Tina Vogt expressed the precision and control gained throughout her professional journey. Her shop dessert Floraison Acidulée offered a vibrant and balanced composition built around lemon meringue, lemon‑grapefruit confit, kumquat‑bergamot gel, and finger lime, resulting in a fresh and elegantly tangy dessert.

Tina also presented her travel cake Le Voyageur, a delicate creation pairing lemon‑mint dough with raspberry‑blackcurrant confit, designed for indulgence and sharing.

For Tina, Fruits de Talent – Andros Chef represents above all:

“A demanding environment where rigour, consistency, and stress management are essential.”

🌸 Maryline Leonhard’s Creations

During the final, Maryline Leonhard approached the challenge as a true learning experience and an opportunity for personal growth. Her bistro dessert Nuage Enchanté delicately combined crispy meringue, rhubarb compote, raspberry crémeux, rosemary‑infused whipped cream, and raspberry fruit leather, resulting in a light, floral, and well‑balanced creation.

For her ice‑cream coupe, Maryline presented Paris sous les Tropiques, an exotic reinterpretation of Paris‑Brest featuring exotic fruit compote, hazelnut ice cream, and mango‑passion coulis — offering a sunny and indulgent tasting experience.

For Maryline, taking part in Fruits de Talent – Andros Chef meant:

“Challenging myself through this competition, which can teach me a working method and organisation, and also help develop my creativity.”

🌿 Gaspard Forget’s Creations

For this final, Gaspard Forget experienced a defining moment by taking part in his very first competition, approached with determination and commitment. His bistro dessert L’Or de l’Ananas was a comforting, radiant creation combining vanilla rice pudding, pineapple sorbet, pineapple confit, and Tasmanian pepper‑poached pineapple, revealing a fine balance between sweetness and spice.

For his travel dessert, La Framboise Signature highlighted the finesse of the fruit through a soft yuzu sponge, raspberry confit, and raspberry gel — a fresh and elegant interpretation.

For Gaspard, Fruits de Talent – Andros Chef above all represented:

“Taking part in my first competition and pushing myself beyond my limits.”

International Guests from the Fruits de Talent Andros Chef China Competition

Colleagues Claudia Wang and Daisy Wang from Andros China were among us during this 6th edition of Fruits de Talent – Andros Chef, following their organisation of the first two editions of the competition in China.

We were honoured to welcome Yang Yishou, winner of Fruits de Talent – Andros Chef China 2024, accompanied by her coach Li Hong, Deputy Academic Director of Yunnan Honghe Technician College. We also had the pleasure of welcoming Zhang Zihan, winner of Fruits de Talent – Andros Chef China 2025, along with Gan Wenhua, President of the Jury for Fruits de Talent – Andros Chef China and recipient of the Great Country Craftsman 2025 distinction. Their presence highlighted the strong and growing ties between the French and Chinese editions of the competition and reinforced the truly international dimension of the Fruits de Talent initiative.

Committed Partners Supporting “Fruits de Talent”

A competition such as Fruits de Talent – Andros Chef could not exist without the loyal support of its partners and suppliers, who share the same ambition: to promote the pastry profession, education, and the transmission of expertise.

🤝Our Partners
UNOX, LMG Location, Loca Cuisines, Onetik, Cueillette Oscar Garcia, Robot Coupe, Nordways, St Michel, Nespresso Professionnel, Atelier TB, Vignerons de Branceilles, Bridor, Carpigiani, Beziat Frères, Le Journal du Pâtissier, Lycée des Métiers Hôteliers, Amalgamets, Lenôtre, Maison Lejeune, CDS Délices

✨ Our suppliers
Locomax, Vaisselle 46/87, Le Paradis de Met, Mirat Pépinières, Mespoulet, Loïc Béziat, Gaëtan Fiard