Global pastry champions unite at the LA LISTE Pastry Special Awards 2025

From Paris to Singapore, London to Kyoto, the international pastry scene celebrates creativity, entrepreneurship,
and a new generation of female leadership.
The 11 LA LISTE Special Award categories recognize 36 pastry chefs and owners across 18 countries

● A global celebration of talent: Awardees span 18 countries across 5 continents—from California to Quito,
Paris, London, New Delhi, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Kyoto.
● A historic milestone for women: For the first time, women represent the majority—60% of the awardees—
highlighting a powerful and overdue shift in visibility and recognition.
● London in the spotlight: With three major awards, the UK capital shines—Claridge’s ArtSpace Café by Thibaut
Hauchard (World’s Best Pastry Shop), bold creator Lily Jones of Lily Vanilly, and new arrival Scoff at The Savoy
among the year’s standout pastry openings.
● The rise of Afternoon Tea: From Jessica Préalpato’s French-style “Goûter” to Jonathan Soudkeo’s ultra-refined
Afternoon Tea at The Butterfly Room, Rosewood Hong Kong, tea-time is emerging as a gastronomic art form—
and a key hospitality offering.
● Entrepreneurship at the heart of pastry: Opening your own pâtisserie is a dream shared by many—whether
it’s a family affair, a venture between friends, or the ultimate goal of a fine dining pastry chef. This year’s
honorees are committed entrepreneurs who have made bold life choices to fully express their vision through
pastry.

Maxime Frédéric, pastry chef at Cheval Blanc Paris, LV Cafés and Plein Coeur, is crowned World’s Most Creative Pastry
Chef, presented by Cacao Barry®.
Iginio Massari, Italian pastry maestro and receives the Award of Honor.
The World’s Best Pastry Shop winner is based in London with the Claridge’s ArtSpace Café by Thibaut Hauchard and
the Best Afternoon Tea award goes to Jessica Préalpato at San Régis Paris and Jonathan Soudkeo at Rosewood Hong
Kong.
Pooja Dhingra is shining as Pastry Game Changer.
Yazid Ichremrahen from Paris and Middle East and The French Bastards team from Paris are joint winners of the Pastry
Innovation award.

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Philippe Faure, President and Founder of LA LISTE, comments “Just twenty or thirty years ago, pastry had no structured international stage. Today, it stands as a fully-fledged discipline — with its own talents, codes, and economic impact. LA LISTE made the deliberate choice to support this evolution by selecting over 3,000 addresses worldwide and creating these Special Awards. They celebrate technical excellence, entrepreneurial vision, and the ability to shape the future of the craft. It’s international recognition for a profession that long remained in the shadows.”

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LA LISTE PASTRY SPECIAL AWARDS 2025
Hélène Pietrini, Managing Director of LA LISTE says, “Pastry is now a true force of transformation, led by a new generation of talents — often women — who are reinventing formats, narratives, and experiences. With these Special Awards and a dedicated Forum, we reaffirm our commitment to a vibrant and fast-evolving sector, rich in cultural exchange and future potential. It is also a tribute to those who, every day, redefine taste and hospitality.”

WORLD’S MOST CREATIVE PASTRY CHEF, presented by Cacao Barry®

MAXIME-FREDERIC

MAXIME FRÉDÉRIC – Paris, France
Raised on a Norman dairy farm, Maxime Frédéric brings a deep-rooted connection to the land into every one of his creations. At the helm of pastry at Cheval Blanc Paris and Café Louis Vuitton, he blends French heritage with global influences, crafting desserts that are both technically masterful and emotionally resonant. In 2024, he opened Plein Cœur in Paris—a pâtisserie imagined from the heart, celebrating joy, memory, beauty, and emotion through every ingredient, every moment, every gesture.

AWARD OF HONOR
IGINIO MASSARI – Italy
The Maestro of Italian pastry, honored for a lifetime of excellence, mentorship, and dedication to his craft. From his hometown of Brescia, he helped elevate Italian pastry to global recognition and has shaped generations of professionals with his uncompromising precision and refined aesthetic. A true mentor and icon, his influence continues to guide and inspire the pastry world today.

PASTRY GAME CHANGER AWARD
POOJA DHINGRA – India
A trailblazing entrepreneur reshaping India’s pastry landscape and inspiring a new generation of chefs.

WORLD’S BEST PASTRY SHOP AWARD

Claridges ArtSpace Cafe

CLARIDGES ARTSPACE CAFÉ – Thibault Hauchard – London – UK – A luxury hotel pastry counter blending artistic expression and French precision in the heart of Mayfair.

WORLD’S BEST AFTERNOON TEA AWARD, sponsored by Palais des Thés

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THE GOÛTER BY JESSICA PRÉALPATO, SAN RÉGIS – Jessica Préalpato – Paris, France – A nature-inspired, terroirdriven goûter that reinvents the French afternoon tradition.
THE BUTTERFLY ROOM, ROSEWOOD HONG KONG – Jonathan Soukdeo – Hong Kong – n opulent, detail-perfect afternoon tea served in a jewel-toned salon of one of Asia’s top hotels.

PASTRY INNOVATION AWARD, sponsored by BWT DIAMOND Mineralized Water:

JULIEN ABOURMAD – The French Bastards – Paris & Lille, France – Bold, unapologetic pastry and viennoiserie with street appeal and high standards.
YAZID ICHEMRAHEN – Ytime, Doha, Qatar – Ycone, Courchevel & Bahrain – Royal Monceau – Raffles Paris – At Home, Paris, France – A visionary entrepreneur reshaping luxury pastry through concept stores, international reach, and inclusive storytelling.

PASTRY TALENT OF THE YEAR AWARD, sponsored by Silikomart

LILY JONES – Lily Vanili – London, UK – A pioneer of East London’s creative cake scene, mixing art and flavor with flair.
MÉLANIE & ARNAUD MATHEZ – Le Jardin Sucré – Paris, France – A couple-led pâtisserie with a loyal following, known for their fruit-forward finesse and delicate signature tarts.
HANNAH ZISKIN – Quarter Sheets – Los Angeles, USA – Cult-favorite pastries served in a neighborhood pizzeria with a West Coast spirit.
TOM COLL – Jumeirah Burj Al Arab – Les Desserts – Dubai, United Arab Emirates – Haute pâtisserie with French finesse at one of the world’s most iconic hotels.
MAKOTO ARAMI – Ami Patisserie – Singapore – Japanese technique meets Parisian codes in a refined pastry destination.

PASTRY ETHICAL & SUSTAINABILITY AWARD, sponsored by BWT DIAMOND Mineralized Water

PÂTISSERIE CLAIRE – Claire Heitzler – Levallois Perret, France – The essence of the natural world with exemplary dedication to sourcing and sustainability

GREEN RABBIT – Mathias Dahlgren – Stockholm, Sweden – Nordic grains and natural levains at the heart of a forward-thinking bakery

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PASTRY ARTISAN & AUTHENTICITY AWARD

DUCOBU – Marc Ducobu – Waterloo, Belgium – Classic pastry savoir-faire upheld with integrity and elegance near Brussels

PASTRY OPENING OF THE YEAR AWARD
SWEET SAGE PÂTISSERIE – Thibaut Honajzer & Alix Marin – Lausanne, Switzerland – A modern pastry counter rooted in precision and seasonal produce
AYA BELKAHIA – Aya Belhahia – Casablanca, Morocco – Refined pâtisserie with North African heritage and Parisian training.
PASTELERIA PIA – Pia Salazar – Quito, Ecuador – Latin America’s pastry star, between biodiversity and bold technique
SCOFF AT THE SAVOY – Nicolas Houchet – London, UK – A playful, elegant opening bringing merging British iconic sweet and French Escoffier heritage

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LE FOURNIL, CHEZ PAILLAT – Nina Métayer – La Rochelle, France – A return to her roots for Nina Métayer, with a bakery-pastry shop grounded in local craft and values.
PÂTISSERIE CAFÉ SÉBASTIEN VAUXION – Sébastien Vauxion – Annecy, France – His first namesake pâtisserie, following a groundbreaking dessert-only restaurant in Courchevel.
NEJA PÂTISSERIE – Germain Decreton, Iris Rouche & Rayane Rebouh – Lille, France – A dynamic trio bringing fresh energy and modernity to the Lille pastry scene.
PÂTISSERIE & TEA TIME MANDARIN ORIENTAL – Julien Dugourd – Paris, France – Julien Dugourd brings his signature finesse in a new Parisian setting.
QUELQUE PART… LA MATIÈRE – Florian Barbarot & Pierre-Henry Lecompte – Paris, France – Where pastry meets cuisine: a seasonal, ingredient-driven concept in the heart of Paris.

PASTRY DISCOVERY GEM AWARD
LUCETTE – Lucia Hrivňáková – Bratislava, Slovakia – Poetic, plant-inspired pastries in the heart of Slovakia
DU BONHEUR – Anna Plagens – Berlin, Germany – A Berlin favorite blending French technique with joyful flair
FATIMA GISMERO PASTELERIA – Fatima Gismero – Guadalajara, Spain – Contemporary Spanish pastry rooted in terroir and tradition
CAFÉ AUX PETITS VERRES Park Joon Woo – Seoul, South Korea – A refined Korean café where pastry meets poetry and sake

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RAU KYOTO – Yusuke Matsushita & Sachi Takagi – Kyoto, Japan – Minimalist elegance and cultural fusion in Kyoto’s pastry scene
B PATISSERIE – Belinda Leong & Michel Suas – San Francisco, USA – A benchmark for French American viennoiserie and creativity

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LA MAISON ALEXIA SANTINI – Alexia Santini – Soveria, Corsica, France – A new generation of Corsican pastry rooted in a family legacy of candied fruit craftsmanship.
MI CIELO – Diego Cervantes & Blanca Bertely – Bordeaux, France – A Mexican French duo crafting soulful, artful pâtisserie in the heart of Bordeaux.

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JAUNE CITRON – Laura Schneider – Strasbourg, France – Bright, seasonal creations rooted in Alsatian terroir with a fresh contemporary twist.
FAMILHA – François & Emmanuelle Josse – Chambonas, France – A family-driven pâtisserie celebrating nature, local producers, and thoughtful simplicity.
MAISON MALÉCOT – Clémence & Giovanni Malécot – Saint-Malo, France – An artisanal haven by the sea, built on a sustainability commitment and a heartfelt family project.