The favorite program for amateur pastry chefs is back! This Thursday, October 10, M6 broadcast the first episode of the thirteenth season of “Meilleur Pâtissier”. An episode which ended with the departure of one of the fourteen candidates in the running.
This Thursday, October 10, pastry lovers were impatiently waiting the launch of the thirteenth season of Best Pastry Chef on M6. Cyril Lignac and Mercotte made their comeback on television screens with at their side, a new host, the actress Laetitia Millot.
With the return of the program which is the channel’s heyday, and which highlights pastry, viewers were able to discover the 14 candidates in the running. The opportunity to discover their world thanks to the Market test where the candidates had to prepare a cake in their image.
After a technical test around the tarte tatin concocted by pastry chef Pierre-Jean Quinonero, French dessert champion in 2021, we had to say goodbye to first eliminated of the season. And it is Dorothée Leroybusiness manager in the metallurgy, who left the tent of Best Pastry Chef. After her elimination, she answered our questions.
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Marmiton: What motivated you to participate in the Best Pastry Chef ?
Dorothée Leroy: I was approached by the caster of the show. I agreed to try the adventure and I’m not going to hide it, it was my intention to try to compete one day. Participating in this Best Pastry Chef season is like touching the dream with your fingertips.
How was your experience under the famous competition tent?
D.L : It was an awesome experience to be with 13 other baking enthusiasts. There was a good-natured atmosphere in the tent. We weren’t there to step on each other’s toes. It’s the first TV show in which I participated, so obviously, it was impressive to see the cameras, the journalists and to realize the number of people behind the program. And then, there was the slightly destabilizing meeting with Cyril Lignac and Mercotte when they came to question us about our creations.
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What was the most complicated?
D.L : It was time management. I was disappointed to come out on the tarte tatin test. I struggled a lot with the Japanese mandolin and was frustrated at not being able to show my abilities. I got swept away by a machine, although before arriving in the tent, I worked a lot.
Between the call from the casting director who announced my selection and the start of filming, I suffered every weekend. I practiced in areas that I had never touched, such as sugar paste, cake design or even layer cake.
How did you end up in the world of pastry?
D.L : It happened during confinement. I like to call myself “confinement pastry chef” (laughs). For my partner’s birthday, I tried to prepare a strawberry for her, since it was strawberry season. I did it without much conviction of success and we were amazed by the result. It intrigued me to succeed even though I had never practiced baking before.
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From there, I learned the basics since I didn’t know how to make pancakes or waffles. What fascinated me was the transformation of raw materials using techniques and the different results obtained. It’s chemistry to play with temperatures, dosages and techniques used. One fine day, I came across the Facebook page “The Kings of Pastry”. I saw the desserts with the mirror glazes and trompe l’oeil fruits, and I said to myself that that’s what I wanted to do.
What is your signature cake?
D.L : It would be a fruit deception. I would say an apple, because I love this fruit and you can use it in different preparations.
Do you have a filming anecdote to share?
D.L : We saw it on TV, I almost dropped my dessert when it got to the freezer. It was heavy, I couldn’t open the door and there was no table nearby to put it on. I had to open the door with one hand and with the weight, the dessert tipped over, causing cream to fall on the fridge and the photos. Now I laugh about it.
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Do you have any pastry advice to share with Marmiton readers?
D.L : I know that mirror icing scares a lot of amateur pastry chefs, but if you have the equipment and you apply everything exactly, there’s no reason why it shouldn’t work. You have to be very attentive and very thorough. Pastry is no accident. You really have to be square and rigorous in all your preparations.
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