A Montreal chef won top honors Monday for cooking America’s best pie crust, earning him the chance to defend his recipe for this traditional French dish at the World Finals in Lyon in December.
Productions La Fayette’s Philippe Bretigniere was one of 13 candidates who presented his version of this dish to the jury during the American finals of the Pâté Croûte World Championship at the Hôtel Place d’Armes in Old Montreal. .
Photo Credit: Courtesy – Augustin Houle-Wald
Some of the candidates came from the United States and even from Mexico.
Mr. Bretigniere didn’t hesitate to use creativity to stand out, using boreal herbs and wild blueberries from Lac-Saint-Jean. “I only used local products and I will do the same thing again in the Lyon final,” he said in an interview after being crowned the winner on Monday night.
Little known in Quebec, pâté croute is a French culinary specialty that presents a particular technical challenge as it requires butchering, baking and cooking skills. The dish typically consists of layers of various meats, including pork, venison, and other fillings, held together by an aspic jelly, all surrounded by a decorated puff pastry crust. To preserve this centuries-old tradition, the Pâté Croûte World Championship was created.
Philippe Bretigniere and his closest rival, Nicolas Delaroque from San Francisco, who finished second, will represent America at the 2022 edition of the championship to be held on December 5 in Lyon, the world capital of gastronomy.
Genevieve Quessy/ QMI AGENCY
The competition, founded in 2009, held its American final in Montreal for the first time. “With New York’s upcoming ban on foie gras, we’re delighted to have brought America’s selection to Canada,” said Arnaud Bernollin, co-founder of the championship.
However, Canada is not the first in touch with this competition as Hotel Place d’Armes Executive Chef Grégory Faye was the World Elegance Award winner in 2021.
Thomas Delannoy, President of Chefs Canada, an organization dedicated to promoting Canadian cuisine, was delighted to host the Americas Finals in Montreal. “It’s a great way to shed light on Montreal and its gastronomy while encouraging enriching international exchanges. Some of the best international chefs are here tonight and the fact that our chefs are sent abroad to showcase our expertise and local products will not only make our gastronomy shine, but also our producers,” he added added.
On the fringes of the Montreal event, Chefs Canada offered a first edition of the Pâté Croûte Fest, which took place in 12 bars across the city during the 10 days leading up to the American finals at the Place of Arms, to introduce the dish to Montrealers.