Watch pastry chefs preparing for the Patisserie Grand Prix in Vienna, Austria
Learn about the Patisserie Grand Prix, 2010 video.
Contunico © ZDF Enterprises GmbH, Mainz
Transcript
NARRATOR: The Austrian capital of Vienna is preparing for the annual Patisserie Oskar. It is the Patisserie Grand Prix. The best gateaux in the country are presented at this competition and the pastry chefs don't have to watch the bottom line, the ingredients are provided for free.
MAIK LÜNING: "It isn't just a problem pastry chefs have to deal with, it's like that for all crafts. Such trades have become expensive, modern times are catching up with us. Given this, an event like the Patisserie Oskar, which raises the profile of this profession, helps the public understand what we do and that such craftsmanship costs money."
NARRATOR: The venue for the event is as spectacular as the gateaux are. It is at Hofburg Imperial Palace in Vienna. It's hours before the event begins and the first participants begin to arrive. Their ostentatious creations can't be transported fully constructed, only in bits. This is a dangerous undertaking. The results are gateaux that are more sculptures than cakes, over a meter high and weighing 40 kilos. The only thing that can be used to fuse the individual sections is liquid chocolate. They make it solid in an instant with a dose of cooling spray. The surgical gloves keep the gateaux from being sullied with fingerprints. In general, the whole process is reminiscent of work in the surgical theater.
Now comes the tricky part. The gateaux has to be moved several meters to its final destination. If something goes wrong now they can forget the competition. A look to the right and then to the left, the competition is tough. This year's theme is Venice - masks, waves and gondolas fill the room. The cakes don't need to be cut into to do the taste-testing. The participants have baked sample cakes. The international jury is interested in more than just flavor, they are looking for harmonious creations.
PATRICK MERTENS: "You should taste it and then think, ‘What are the ingredients? Aha, this, this and that.' And not just say, ‘Wow, the flavor is fantastic.' And that's also true for the ingredients, like ginger, which is very popular at the moment. But sometimes the chefs use far too much."
NARRATOR: All the gateaux made it safely to their places. The jury begins its walk about. The originality of the design and the execution of the work are judged. Then several hours of excitement follow until the winner is finally announced in the evening. But no matter who wins the Patisserie Oskar, the cakes demonstrate that all the participating chefs are star chefs.
MAIK LÜNING: "It isn't just a problem pastry chefs have to deal with, it's like that for all crafts. Such trades have become expensive, modern times are catching up with us. Given this, an event like the Patisserie Oskar, which raises the profile of this profession, helps the public understand what we do and that such craftsmanship costs money."
NARRATOR: The venue for the event is as spectacular as the gateaux are. It is at Hofburg Imperial Palace in Vienna. It's hours before the event begins and the first participants begin to arrive. Their ostentatious creations can't be transported fully constructed, only in bits. This is a dangerous undertaking. The results are gateaux that are more sculptures than cakes, over a meter high and weighing 40 kilos. The only thing that can be used to fuse the individual sections is liquid chocolate. They make it solid in an instant with a dose of cooling spray. The surgical gloves keep the gateaux from being sullied with fingerprints. In general, the whole process is reminiscent of work in the surgical theater.
Now comes the tricky part. The gateaux has to be moved several meters to its final destination. If something goes wrong now they can forget the competition. A look to the right and then to the left, the competition is tough. This year's theme is Venice - masks, waves and gondolas fill the room. The cakes don't need to be cut into to do the taste-testing. The participants have baked sample cakes. The international jury is interested in more than just flavor, they are looking for harmonious creations.
PATRICK MERTENS: "You should taste it and then think, ‘What are the ingredients? Aha, this, this and that.' And not just say, ‘Wow, the flavor is fantastic.' And that's also true for the ingredients, like ginger, which is very popular at the moment. But sometimes the chefs use far too much."
NARRATOR: All the gateaux made it safely to their places. The jury begins its walk about. The originality of the design and the execution of the work are judged. Then several hours of excitement follow until the winner is finally announced in the evening. But no matter who wins the Patisserie Oskar, the cakes demonstrate that all the participating chefs are star chefs.