CHENNAI: Celebrating the culinary excellence of France, the Consulate General of France in Pondicherry and Chennai, Business France India, the French Trade and Investment Commission, and Le Cordon Bleu at GD Goenka University organised the third edition of the French Patisserie Competition 2025.

The contest is taking place in five cities across the country, and the semi-final was recently held in Chennai at the Alliance Française of Madras, Nungambakkam. The jury included Etienne Rolland-Piègue, Consul General of France in Pondicherry and Chennai; Julia Vadagnini, Trade Officer for Agritech at Business France; and Chef Jugesh Arora.

Speaking about the event, Julia said, “This contest highlights the strong connection between India and France. It paves the way for recognising French baking talents from Chennai, New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Kolkata. From the 50 participants, the top 16 will be selected to compete in the finale, which will take place on June 10 in Haryana. Notably, we wanted to include French companies and products available in India to highlight them.”

Chef Jugesh Arora offered some insights into the major differences between Indian and French desserts. “Indian desserts are usually dark in colour and high in sugar. The texture is also quite dense. However, French desserts are soft, light in colour, and have lower sugar levels. Chennai has certainly upped its culinary game - we found many French-inspired diners and eateries here. This reflects France’s influence on the city,” he shared.

The winner of the competition will be awarded a four-night trip to Paris, with accommodation at the Pullman Paris La Défense.