Lankan baker Tharshan Selvarajah bags ‘Best Baguette’ title in Paris

Selvarajah (37), who moved to France from the island nation about a decade ago, won a prize of 4,000 euros along with the title and a one-year contract to supply baguettes to the president of France, at the Élysée Palace. He was selected as a winner by a 15-member jury, who evaluated 175 candidates in a blind tasting.

When questioned in an interview with France 24 on what is his secret to making the best baguette, Selvarajah shared he uses only the best flour and a good recipe.

“I cried when I won because we are foreigners and we came here to learn to make traditional French bread. I am very happy to have won the prize. My bread is always made with love. Always smiling, always laughing, always singing,” he said in an interview with AFP.

Baking since 2009, the winning baker opened his own business ‘Au Levain des Pyrénées’ two years ago. Each baker was required to submit two baguettes between 55 and 70 centimetres, weighing 250 to 300 grams and containing 18 grams of salt per kilogram of flour. The baguette was scored on appearance, cooking, texture, smell and taste.