Relais Desserts 2016 Excellence Award for Best Pastry Blog

This is quite an unusual article for me to write… Last Wednesday, I was invited to the fourth edition of the Relais Desserts Excellence Awards, held at the Pavillon Cambon in Paris. An incredible moment where the greatest names in pastry come together and present their Christmas log cakes. It was already a privilege to attend — but that privilege turned into an honour: my blog was named “Best Pastry Blog 2016” by the Relais Desserts jury! I still can’t believe it! I can tell you that since Wednesday, I’ve been walking on air… And since Wednesday, I’ve been receiving so many messages that have touched me deeply. Thank you, simply, because I am living a dream 🙂

For those who are not familiar with Relais Desserts:

Relais Desserts is an exceptional club whose mission is to promote the excellence of French pastry. It brings together passionate pastry chefs united around core values such as sharing, exchange, creativity, the pursuit of excellence and constant self-improvement. The association is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. It comprises 90 members — pastry chef entrepreneurs — established in 19 different countries. More than 200 shops worldwide bear the “Relais Desserts” label.

I have never managed to keep things short when it comes to recounting an incredible event — but this time, let me tell you, it’s going to be even harder 😛

On Wednesday, after school and after my back-to-school meeting, I met up with Thierry from the blog Patisphère, who had come from Strasbourg. We didn’t know each other, but I had suggested we go to the Pavillon Cambon together to chat about pastry. First stop: the Fou de Pâtisserie shop on rue Montorgueil, where we met up with my husband and sat briefly on the terrace before heading on our way.

Arriving at the Pavillon Cambon, I was given a badge with my blog’s name before stepping into a magnificent room filled with Relais Desserts member pastry chefs — log cakes and pastry chefs everywhere (27 of them, to be precise). The first impression was already fabulous. Among them, chefs I have admired since my very first steps in pastry: Pierre Hermé, Claire Damon, Sébastien Bouillet, Vincent Guerlais, Arnaud Larher, and so many others I was discovering or knew by name. Philippe Conticini, Christophe Felder, and Mercotte were also there. I could barely take it in…

Each pastry chef stood beside a display proudly showcasing their Christmas log cake — a true jewel. They were all happy to talk to us about their desserts with great enthusiasm. Their availability was as delightful as it was disarming. Not only was I able to admire every single one, but I was also able to taste nearly all of them. Of course, my husband and I struggled to properly taste every one (around fifteen log cakes managed to dazzle our taste buds!).

Here are a few photos of these little wonders:

At 6 p.m., the log cake presentation and tasting gave way to a main stage where the 2016 Excellence Award winners were announced. Laurent Mariotte hosted the ceremony alongside chef Frédéric Cassel. The Excellence Award for Best Pastry Book was presented to Christophe Felder and Camille Lesecq for their book “Gâteaux”, published by Éditions de La Martinière.

Then Mercotte took to the stage — it was time to announce the Best Pastry Blog. [I had known for a few days that my blog was among the last 3 finalists, which was already an immense gift in itself. To enter, we had to reinterpret the lemon tart — a challenge I’m not at all used to, and one that really got me thinking, until I came up with a mojito lemon tart in the style of a club sandwich.] Laurent Mariotte announced that 26 blogs had competed, and then finally read out the winner along with the name of the dessert… “Mojito.” That’s me! “Club sandwich style.” That’s definitely me!!! Unbelievable — the Excellence Award for Best Pastry Blog goes to Surprises et Gourmandises!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You know that heart-eyes emoji face? That was exactly the face I made when the result was announced 😀 I was speechless! I turned to my husband, who was just as stunned — his eyes were shining as brightly as mine, and I could see so much pride in them. I handed him my bag and camera, and went up on stage to receive my award from Vincent Guerlais, the taste agitator himself. Everyone congratulated me: Vincent Guerlais, Mercotte, and Frédéric Cassel. I was deeply moved by their words. Laurent Mariotte handed me the microphone (oh no, speaking in front of all these people :O). I don’t remember everything very clearly — the emotion, no doubt — but what a joy to receive such an award! I stepped off the stage to find my husband, still barely able to take in what had just happened.

Photo credit: Relais Desserts

Next came the announcement for the Rising Star Pastry Chef award. This prize went to Nicolas Bacheyre, head pastry chef at Un dimanche à Paris. I won’t pretend I was fully present for the rest of the ceremony — I was still in a bit of a daze — just long enough to take a keepsake photo.

Then it was Cédric Grolet’s turn, head pastry chef at the Parisian palace Le Meurice, to receive the Best Pastry Chef award.

To close the evening, and to mark the association’s 35th anniversary, Relais Desserts decided to present a Lifetime Achievement Award to one of the greats. It could only be Philippe Conticini — a wonderfully talented chef and a truly great man. The award was presented by Pierre Hermé himself. I had the two greatest pastry chefs in the world standing right in front of me. Unbelievable!

To close the awards ceremony, all the laureates were invited up on stage together. There I was, standing between Philippe Conticini and Pierre Hermé, on the same stage as Christophe Felder, Camille Lesecq, Nicolas Bacheyre and Cédric Grolet. I turned my head left and right — all these great pastry chefs beside me… Philippe Conticini, with all the warmth and kindness he is known for, congratulated me too. Pierre Hermé also offered his congratulations and added that he had had to keep a straight face a little earlier, when we had been chatting. The surprise had been total!

Photo credit: Relais Desserts

The evening ended with a cocktail reception, though I didn’t really make the most of it — too busy chatting and soaking up every moment. Bloggers, journalists, chefs — everyone came to congratulate me, which felt surreal… I was so happy to finally meet a few bloggers I follow regularly on social media, starting with Laurent, but also Catherine, Anne, Maxime and many more 🙂 It was a day rich in encounters and emotions, one that will be forever engraved in my memory (despite the latter being notoriously short, lol). And to top it all off, I left with my arms full of gifts — chocolates and treats from several Relais Desserts pastry chefs, as well as a pastry class with one of the association’s members and a half-day food photography workshop with Laurent Fau, the celebrated culinary photographer. I couldn’t be happier =)

Photo credit: Relais Desserts

Thank you to the members of the Relais Desserts organisation for this magnificent day, to all the pastry chefs who made themselves so available throughout the afternoon, and to everyone who came to congratulate me during the evening. A huge thank you to my husband, who has always believed in me and has been my unwavering support since the very beginning of this pastry adventure — and to all my loved ones who regularly volunteer to taste everything I make and never stop encouraging me. And thank you to all of you, dear readers, who bring this blog to life every day. I hope to be worthy of this award and to keep delighting you in the years to come 🙂