This Baker Just Won the Award for the Best Baguette in Paris Using a Genius Secret Ingredient

It sure does sound tasty.

In late April, Xavier Netry from the Utopie bakery took home the title for the best baguette in the annual Grand Prix de la baguette competition in Paris, beating out more than 170 other competitors. He could have ridden into the sunset with his title and trophy, never sharing a thing about how he made his award-winning bread. But instead, he chose to share his biggest secret with the world.

As Euro News explained, for the last 30 years, the Syndicat des Boulangers-Pâtissiers du Grand Paris has invited the city's top bakers to show off their talents and their individual interpretations of a bread so important it received UNESCO protection in 2022. Each baguette is judged on five criteria: baking quality, taste, crumb consistency, honeycombing, and appearance. Netry's won, locking in not just the title but also €4,000 and becoming the official supplier to the Élysée Palace for the next year.

Related: The French Baguette Has Received UNESCO Protection — Here's What That Means

So, how'd be best the competition? As Netry told Le Monde, it all comes down to a good Sourdough starter, "a good long fermentation," careful baking time, and some love and some passion, of course."

Netry additionally told RTL, “No two people have the same sourdough,” meaning every time it will make something beautifully unique even if you follow the same recipe. However, Netry added, he uses “banana and lemon, which I mix with flour and water and leave to ferment for a long time. It's a long process.”

Related: Why You Should Never, Ever Turn a Baguette Upside Down

Netry also shared his enthusiasm for his win on his Instagram account, sharing with his more than 5,000 followers, "I am deeply honored and grateful to have won the award for the best wand tradition Paris 2024 This success would not have been possible without your unwavering support, encouragement and confidence in me." He added, "Thank you for believing in me and joining me on this extraordinary journey that continues with Utopia and new projects."

The best part for you? Not only can you now try this trick out at home the next time you attempt to make a baguette, but you can also head over to Utopie at 20, rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud to pick up a winning stick for yourself for just €1.15. 

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