The winner of the best baguette in Paris vintage 2021 is Makram Akrout, from the bakery "Les boulangers de Reuilly", located at 54, boulevard de Reuilly, in the 12th arrondissement of Paris.
For the 42-year-old craftsman, including 19 years of work in France after arriving from Tunisia,
"it is the harvest of these years of experience,"
he told AFP.
"I'm very proud.
I have to be up to the task, with all the people who are going to come here to taste the best baguette in Paris, ”
explained the one who ranked 10th in 2017, then 6th in 2018.
In addition to a media spotlight, Makram Akrout wins a check for 4,000 euros and becomes the supplier of the Élysée for 1 year.
For six months in a new store, he hopes to "
increase sales by 30 or 40%
" and plans to hire to meet demand.
The jury for this prize organized by the City of Paris was made up of 12 members: Olivia Polski, deputy mayor of Paris in charge of trade, crafts, liberal and independent professions; representatives of professional federations including the president of the Syndicat des Boulangers du Grand Paris (at the headquarters of which the tasting took place); journalists ; personalities in gastronomy (such as the former head of the Presidency of the Republic Guillaume Gomez); the winner of last year (Taieb Sahal, from the bakery Les Saveurs de Pierre Demours, in the 17th district) but also six Parisians drawn at random.
The 173 traditional baguettes, deposited the same morning by the volunteer artisans, were judged according to five criteria, each rated on 4 points: appearance, cooking, crumb and honeycomb, smell and taste.
To be judged, they had to display measurements of 55 to 70 centimeters in length, a weight of 250 to 300 grams and a salt content of 18 grams per kilogram of flour.
The top 10 of the 2021 ranking
M. Akrout, "Les boulangers de Reuilly" - 54, bd de Reuilly (12th).
H. Saidi, “Boulangerie de la place” - 162, bd Vincent Auriol (13th).
J.-P. Lardeux, “Maison Lardeux” - 67, rue Caulaincourt (18th).
F. Bleas, “Aux Délices de Vaugirard” - 48, rue Madame (6th arrondissement).
K. Mansour, “Aux Délices de Glacière” - 90, bd Auguste Blanqui (13th).
F. Comyn, “Le pétrin fontains” - 88, rue Cambronne (15th).
V. Bailleux, “Boulangerie Béchu” - 118, av.
Victor Hugo (16th).
A. Ounissi, “Boulangerie BAC” - 2, rue de la Butte aux Cailles (13th).
H. Kim, “Boris Lumé” - 48, rue Caulaincourt (18th).
A. Pottier, “Aux Castelblangeois” - 168, rue St Honoré (1er).
