Guillaume Perrose won the Eastern Regional Final of the French Dessert Championship
A regional victory that sends him to the national finals.
On the 3rd of February 2026, Guillaume Perrose won the Eastern Regional Final of the 52nd edition of the French Dessert Championship (Plated Dessert category), a prestigious competition organised by the association « Cultures Sucre ». We had the opportunity to speak with him about his journey, his preparation, and his signature dessert.
Guillaume Perrose looks back on his journey and his qualification for the national final.
Meeting Guillaume Perrose
Hello Guillaume,
On the 3rd of February, you won the Eastern Regional Final of the 52nd edition of the French Dessert Championship (Plated Dessert category).
We obviously wanted to congratulate you, but above all, we were keen to learn more about you and your journey.
First of all, who are you?
I am the pastry chef at the one star Michelin restaurant Le Cin5 in La Clusaz 😊
Originally from Épinal, my career has taken me through several starred restaurants in Lorraine, starting in the kitchen.
I turned to pastry eight years ago, and it has since become a true passion.
A funny coincidence: the Michelin Star Head Chef of Le Cin5, Vincent Deforce, took the opposite path.
Since the restaurant is only open in winter, how do you spend the rest of the year?
I return home to the Vosges, where I run a business with my partner Lauriane.
We produce edible flowers and aromatic plants, which we sell to restaurateurs, often starred ones.
I also do pastry consulting.
I never get bored my days are very full…
What made you want to enter the contest?
It’s a project that gradually took shape and started already three perhaps even four years ago.
Last year, I felt that the experience and the level I had reached allowed me to take the plunge.
Knowing that the 2026 final would be held at my home in the Vosges ultimately convinced me.
How does one prepare for a competition like this?
It’s a long process…For a year and a half, I’ve been dedicating a large part of my time to it.
First, you need to come up with the recipe idea and choose the ingredients you want to highlight.
It was also important for me to invent one or more new techniques then plan the overall design of the dessert and finally make everything fit within the rules and constraints of the competition.
Can you share an anecdote from your journey?
Yes, it’s great coincidence…
Yes, it’s a great coincidence : I had the good fortune to meet Gilles Leininger in January 2025 at the SIRHA trade show with whom I had already had the opportunity to work together on a “four hands” project. He is the Chef of the Michelin-starred restaurant Le Jardin Secret in La Wantzenau became my coach in this adventure.
What are your ambitions for the future?
First, I would like to come back to La Clusaz next winter.
Then, if I win the competition, it could open up some incredible opportunities.
And if I fail… you’ll see me competing again next year 😊
A Creation Between Memory and Terroir
A Childhood-Inspired Signature Dessert
Apple trees, a field of buckwheat, wildflowers.
When I was ten years old, this was my playground.
Today, this is what I share with you.
“This dessert is inspired by the apple trees in my family garden enriched with buckwheat for depth and crunc and with meadowsweet from my own foraging as a subtle seasoning. It strikes a balance between tradition and modernity where each ingredient reflects my journey: apples from the family orchard, a cereal from nearby field and meadowsweet evoking the flowers and aromatics I cultivate in summer.”
Guillaume PERROSE
A prestigious competition
The French Dessert Championship (Plated Dessert Category)
The French Dessert Championship celebrates excellence in plated desserts in the restaurant industry. Two categories compete: Junior and Professional.
Each contestant must create an original dessert that can be prepared in three hours for ten people. Eight regions take part in the qualifying rounds, with one finalist selected per region.
The national final will be held on 19 March 2026 in Gérardmer. There, the contestants will not only reproduce their selection dessert but also create a second dessert from a mystery basket, following a theme and technique set by the jury.
Heading for the final
This regional victory paves the way for Guillaume Perrose to the national final.
The teams of the Hôtel Au Cœur du Village and the restaurant Le Cin5 warmly congratulate Guillaume and wish him the very best for the next stage of this exciting journey.