Japan wins World Pâté en Croûte Championship as France eats humble pie

Japan has once again triumphed at the World Pâté en Croûte Championship, the 15th edition of the tournament held in France’s gastronomic capital of Lyon. 

Taiki Mano, a chef at the Imperial Hotel’s Les Saisons restaurant in Tokyo, was awarded first prize for his gold-leafed pâté en croûte flavoured with duck, foie gras, pork, sweetbread and green pepper.

In second place was Seigo Ishimoto, a Japanese chef at Le Coeur restaurant in Kobe, with a yuzu flavoured autumn pâté of chicken liver, foie gras and black trumpet mushrooms. 

It was far from a miserable Monday night (2 December) for the French hosts as they took home five of the six other prizes - but missing out on the top spot is an undeniable blow for a country that considers the dish a national staple.  

Of the past five World Pâté en Croûte Championships, four have been won by Japanese chefs. 

Frédéric Le Guen-Geffroy, a French chef at Club TP90 in Paris, bucked the trend last year, taking home first prize for his creation featuring free-range pork, Muscovy duck, chanterelles, and a thin chicken and pistachio stuffing.

Prior to that, Japanese chef Ryutaro Shiomi won the 2022 championship, with jury member Christoph Paucod commenting: "The craze for pies is simply because the Japanese are perfectionists. They love the quality of their work. And they love French cuisine and the product. And I think that Japan today has fallen in love with the pie. They are not looking for distinction."

What is Pâté en Croûte?

Pâté en Croûte, a meat-filled pie wrapped in hot crust pastry, has a long and fascinating history in France. Created in the Middle Ages and sold in Paris, the crust was initially not meant to be consumed, intended as packaging to preserve the meat inside. 

It was only at the Renaissance that it became edible, evolving into ever-more fanciful forms, flavoured with intricate pâtés that were garnished elaborately to be served at royal banquets. 

The era of haute cuisine in 18th century France brought about a resurgence of the dish, establishing Pâté en Croûte as one of the country’s most lauded gourmet foods, an example of culinary artistry at its pinnacle. 

The World Pâté en Croûte Championship was founded in 2009 to “preserve a centuries-old, French culinary tradition”, their website states. For a decade, the French proudly maintained first place - until 2015, when Belgium took the lead.  

Of this latest loss, national broadcaster France 3 said that “the French are disappointed, but good sports”. 

Olivier Nicolau, a chef at the Arraditz restaurant in southern France, was awarded the ‘elegance prize’. Responding to the defeat, he said:  "This is my fourth final and each time, it’s a Japanese who has won. They are very good." 

For fellow French finalist, Baptiste Pignol, the competition has only fuelled more determination for a comeback: "Pâté croûte is a watchmaking experience. We were there to have fun, but we learned a lot. We'll come back stronger next year.”