Clotilde Ghibaudo and Tatiana Vernot Win the 2026 North American Pastry Championship

Championship Victory Earns a Place in the U.S. National Pastry Team Training Program.

Laurel, Maryland – June 30, 2026. PastryStar is proud to celebrate a remarkable achievement in the world of professional pastry. Demonstration Pastry Chef Clotilde Ghibaudo, together with teammate Chef Tatiana Vernot, has been crowned the winner of the 2026 North American Pastry Championship Roland Mesnier, held June 28-29 during the Summer Fancy Food Show at the Javits Center in New York City.

Hosted by the Académie Culinaire de France (ACF) USA & Canada Delegation in partnership with the Specialty Food Association (SFA), the prestigious competition showcases North America’s highest level of pastry artistry, technical expertise, precision, creativity, and innovation.

By earning first place, Ghibaudo and Vernot have secured a coveted position in the U.S. National Pastry Team Training Program, bringing them one step closer to representing the United States on the international pastry competition stage.

A Prestigious Pastry Competition Showcasing North America’s Best Talent

The North American Pastry Championship Roland Mesnier has become one of the most respected pastry competitions in North America, attracting exceptional pastry chefs from across the United States and Canada. Throughout the competition, teams are challenged to demonstrate:

• Technical precision
• Artistic creativity
• Flavor balance
• Modern pastry techniques
• Teamwork under pressure

Competing against some of the continent’s most accomplished pastry professionals, Clotilde Ghibaudo and Tatiana Vernot delivered an outstanding performance that impressed both the tasting and technical juries, earning them the championship title.

Their victory represents months of intensive preparation, countless hours of practice, and an unwavering commitment to excellence.

Meet the Champions: Clotilde Ghibaudo & Tatiana Vernot

For PastryStar, this accomplishment is especially meaningful.

As Demonstration Pastry Chef, Clotilde Ghibaudo works with bakeries, food manufacturers, and pastry professionals across North America. She helps transform ideas into successful bakery and dessert products. Through product development, technical demonstrations, customer training, and culinary innovation, she helps customers get the most from PastryStar’s premium bakery ingredients. She also develops inspiring new product applications.

Together, Clotilde and Tatiana embody the craftsmanship, determination, and passion that define today’s leading pastry professionals. Their achievement reflects the values that have guided PastryStar for nearly four decades.

The Three Award-Winning Competition Desserts

One of the highlights of the championship was the team’s collection of three exceptional desserts, each designed to showcase technical mastery, creativity, and refined flavor combinations.

Garden of Roses

Inspired by the classic Queen Cake, this elegant dessert features a brown butter financier, creamy cheesecake, rhubarb and strawberry confit, glazed braided poached rhubarb, crisp hazelnut tart dough, and a light lemon cream cheese mousse.

Tricolor Cockade

Inspired by the French cockade, this plated dessert combines a blue corn cake, elderflower panna cotta, roasted strawberries, strawberry custard, crisp tuiles, and a refreshing pawpaw-strawberry sorbet. Sweetened exclusively with honey, it showcases elegant flavors, refined techniques, and natural sweetness without refined sugar.

Tea Library

A collection of three elegant lollipop-inspired desserts celebrating bold flavors and refined techniques. Star Rum features a crispy star filled with rum marshmallow and rum gel. Tea Rose combines black tea-infused cream, chocolate crumble, salted ganache, and lemon gel. Tobacco Waffle pairs a crisp brown sugar waffle with tobacco-infused ice cream and a pecan-corn praline center.

Inspiring the Next Generation of Women in Pastry

Beyond the championship title, Clotilde and Tatiana’s success represents something even greater: the growing influence of women in professional pastry.

Their achievement serves as an inspiration to aspiring pastry chefs everywhere, proving that passion, perseverance, and technical excellence can open doors to the highest levels of the industry.

As more women continue to lead innovation in pastry and baking, victories like this help encourage the next generation to pursue careers in culinary arts with confidence.

A Commitment to the Future of Pastry

As a longtime supporter of the pastry industry, PastryStar proudly sponsors the North American Pastry Championship and remains committed to advancing the profession through culinary education, professional development, and industry partnerships.

“At PastryStar, we believe great pastry has the power to inspire, connect, and elevate people. Clotilde and Tatiana demonstrated not only world-class technical skill, but also the courage, creativity, and determination that define true champions. Their victory is a celebration of excellence and a testament to the growing influence of women leaders in our industry. We hope their achievement inspires the next generation of pastry chefs to dream bigger, work harder, and believe that anything is possible.”

Antonin Picou, CEO, PastryStar

“Winning this championship is an incredible honor. This achievement represents months of preparation, teamwork, and perseverance. Sharing this experience with Tatiana made it even more meaningful. We hope our journey encourages others to believe in their abilities, challenge themselves, and continue pushing the boundaries of what is possible in pastry.”

Clotilde Ghibaudo, Demonstration Pastry Chef, PastryStar

By supporting competitions that recognize excellence, PastryStar continues investing in the future of baking and pastry while helping talented chefs gain opportunities to compete, learn, and grow.

A Thank You to the Competition Organizers

PastryStar extends its sincere gratitude to the Académie Culinaire de France USA & Canada Delegation and the Specialty Food Association. Their dedication continues to advance the pastry profession through this prestigious championship.

Special thanks to:

• Fabrice Guinchard, President of the Competition
• Stéphane Cheramy, President of the Jury
• Tasting Judges: En-Ming Hsu, Sébastien Canonne, and Sylvain Leroy
• Technical Judges: Laurent Richard, Nicolas Botomisy, and Gilles Renusson

We also thank the competition organizers, volunteers, sponsors, fellow competitors, and distinguished jury members. Their expertise, passion, and commitment made this exceptional event possible.

About PastryStar

Founded in 1986, PastryStar is a family-owned U.S. manufacturer of premium bakery, pastry, and dessert ingredients. Founded by Mireille Picou and French pastry chef Theodore Pary, the company serves commercial bakeries, industrial manufacturers, in-store bakeries, foodservice operators, private label partners, cruise lines, and hospitality businesses across North America.

PastryStar offers more than 250 premium bakery ingredients. Its portfolio includes fruit fillings, jams, pastry creams, dessert mixes, ganaches, and specialty ingredients. Every product is designed to deliver exceptional flavor, consistency, and operational efficiency.

All products are manufactured in the United States under rigorous food safety standards. PastryStar products are SQF Certified and Kosher Dairy Certified. They are also made without artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives.

PastryStar combines decades of French pastry expertise with modern manufacturing capabilities. The company helps bakers and food manufacturers create high-quality bakery and dessert products at scale. It also supports the future of the pastry industry through education, competitions, and innovation.

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