NAIT instructor honoured to be among top 6 bakers in the world

Published on February 07, 2018

Alan Dumonceaux becomes the first Canadian to compete in the gourmet baking category of the Masters de la Boulangerie in Paris

NAIT baking instructor and program chair Alan Dumonceaux can count himself among the world’s best bakers after competing this week in the prestigious Masters de la Boulangerie.

Dumonceaux was invited last fall to be the first and only Canadian among the 6 competitors in the gourmet baking category of the competition, which took place Feb. 5 in Paris. During the course of the grueling, 10-hour event, Dumonceaux produced 184 pastries from 34 different recipes.

The results of the competition were announced Tuesday in Paris. The gourmet baking category was won by Deborah Ott of France. Officials only name one winner in each of the 3 categories. The other 5 competitors are not ranked.

Two years ago, Dumonceaux was the pastry specialist for Baking Team Canada, which qualified for the 2016 Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie, the team baking competition.

The Masters competition, which took place Feb. 3-6, 2018 in Paris, is the individual contest that follows the Coupe du Monde. Participants are chosen by judges from among the best competitors in the Coupe du Monde and its qualifying event, the 2015 Louis Lesaffre Cup.

Dumonceaux and his coach, NAIT baking instructor Clayton Folkers, spent months developing recipes and practicing techniques in the polytechnic’s bakery. During the 10-hour competition, Dumonceaux made 11 different kinds of pastries, including French classics like croissants, brioches and pains au chocolat, to strict specifications. For the artistic component, he created pastries resembling a maple tree and an Alberta wild rose.

During the competition, Dumonceaux used 34 different recipes with 104 different ingredients, including 85 eggs, 13 kg of flour, 4.5 kg of butter and 1.5 kg of sugar.

QUICK FACTS

  • Masters de la Boulangerie participants compete in one of 3 categories: gourmet baking, bread-making and artistic bread-making, in which the bakers build an intricate showpiece made from bread.
  • 6 competitors are chosen in each of the 3 categories.
  • The competition is part of the Europain 2018 trade show in Paris, which includes about 700 exhibitors and 65,000 visitors from 140 countries.

QUOTES

Alan Dumonceaux, chair, NAIT Baking program 
“This was a great opportunity for Canadian bakers to showcase their talents on the world stage. It was a wonderful experience, and an honour for me to be a part of it.”

Clayton Folkers, coach, NAIT Baking program instructor
“The competition was a fun and exciting opportunity to learn and see ideas from the best bakers around the world. I’m thrilled to have had the experience.”

LEARN MORE

Masters de la Boulangerie 2018 
NAIT Baking program

About NAIT

The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) is a leading Canadian polytechnic, delivering education in science, technology and the environment; business; health and trades. With nearly 60,000 credit and non-credit students and a 95 per cent employer satisfaction rate, NAIT grads are essential to Alberta’s prosperity. Known for hands-on, technology-based learning, NAIT engages with business and industry in applied research and innovation and provides corporate training around the world. Recognized as one of Alberta’s top employers, NAIT provides outstanding returns on investment for its graduates, partners, the provincial government and the people of Alberta.

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