It was in a rural setting, under a huge tent planted in the middle of a field in Montérégie, that one of the most thrilling culinary competitions took place, “The Best Pastry Chef in Quebec”, of which the first two episodes are already available on the Vrai platform.
Hosted by Marie-Ève Janvier and Joël Legendre, “Le Meilleur Pâtissier du Québec”, a Quebec adaptation of “The Great Bake Off” puts 10 amateur pastry chefs between the ages of 18 and 58 in competition, from all over Quebec and chosen from among more than 600 registrations.
Adapted in 37 countries, the Quebec version is funny, “in the pleasure and the lightness”, a color specific to this version and given by the duo of animators, whose frank camaraderie and pleasure are contagious.
Photo Courtesy Quebecor Content
“Our color is really that we are funny and humorous. Our candidates are also funny and emotional. I saw more tears in two episodes than in the entire season of the British adaptation”, described Joël Legendre, specifying that it was a “show” to laugh, to give the taste of cooking and which was bright.
“You are going to see a completely relaxed Marie-Ève Janvier. I found it so good in this format and the more the episodes progress, the more you will see Marie-Ève become hysterical, crazy, funny, endearing, ”added the host, laughing.
The latter is also “very good at shedding light on others”, replied tit for tat his co-host. “He did it with me, bringing out my craziness, but he also did it with the participants. Everyone got attached,” she added, emphasizing the bubble of friendship that was created under the marquee with the participants.
Photo Courtesy Quebecor Content
Amateur pastry chefs fight, in mutual aid and benevolence, to get the prize from the best pastry chef in Quebec and to have the possibility of publishing their own cookbook. To do this, they must pass technical, aesthetic and gastronomic challenges, which will be judged by Joël Lahon, pastry chef since 2014 at Château Frontenac, and Gaël Vidricaire, PhD in biochemistry and owner of the ITHQ pastry shop.
Photo Courtesy Quebecor Content
A plateau in the image of Quebec
For the realization of the project, the production was constrained to respect and represent Quebec. The river, mountains and fields around Mouton village, where the competition was filmed, in Saint-Charles-sur-le-Richelieu, in Montérégie, lent themselves perfectly, said Valérie Beaulieu, producer of the episode.
Water, electricity and ventilation were also brought for filming to the huge marquee built to comply with the sanitary measures in place.
The first two episodes of “Best pastry chef in Quebec”, produced by Trinôme & filles, in collaboration with Quebecor Content, are available on Vrai. Two episodes per week will be deployed on Vrai to keep the excitement of the competition that took place this summer.
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