Kings of Pastry (2009) February 12, 2011

While the U.S. is currently in the grip of a handcraft renaissance -- from sewing to butchering to brewing -- France has long treasured the kind of skills that are passed down from generation to generation. For those who labor in the kitchen making exquisite desserts, to be named Meilleur Ouvrier de France (Best Craftsman in France) is an honor, a dream, and an obsession. The coveted title is awarded to pastry chefs during a grueling three-day competition that tests the nerves, talent, and luck of its participants. Celebrated documentarians D. A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus followed three aspiring contestants to Lyon, where Jacquy Pfeiffer, co-founder of Chicago's French Pastry School; Regis Lazard, competing for the second time; and Philippe Rigollot, from Maison Pic, France's only three-star restaurant owned by a woman, measured themselves against their peers.