Both signed a dream course in season 10 of "The best bakery in France" on M6. Jean-Baptiste Grangé, owner of the Grangé establishment in Pau and his pastry chef Antoine Clément, won the trophy at the end of a great adventure. The representatives of the Aquitaine Sud region, who had obtained the incredible average of 9.8/10 for their shop, won against their friends Nicolas Gruel and Jean-Philippe Battesti installed in the Graine bakery in Bordeaux (Nouvelle-Aquitaine Nord) in a final full of emotion for the four competitors but also for the jurors Noémie Honiat, Norbert Tarayre and Bruno Cormerais. The duo looks back on their journey on the show.
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TVMAGAZINE. - How did you react when you learned of your victory?
JEAN-BAPTISTE. - We were very proud, happy and moved because we found ourselves in front of friends. We were in the final against the Grain bakery in Bordeaux. Nicolas Gruel is one of my best friends. Together we were crowned France champion and European bakery champions in 2019. It was unlikely to find ourselves in the final. The four of us drove to the final week and went back together! So I was both satisfied and sad for him because we know he's a great business card. It was a special feeling for me.
ANTOINE. - I was very happy to have lived this great experience. It was my first contest and therefore my first victory. It starts well (laughs) after I don't know if there will be others. I thank Jean-Baptiste for taking me on this adventure.
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Why did you want to participate in the show?
JB. - A person from the production contacted us via social networks. As a competitor, we were motivated to do it, it was time. At the time, we never thought we would go to the end but, when we saw our notes, we saw that we were not crazy ...
You had an average of 9.8 in store, was it the best ever received?
JB. - Yes, Bruno confirmed to us on set that it was the first time this happened in ten years of broadcasting. The funny thing is that Nicolas and Jean-Philippe had the same average as us! So it was an exceptional season. Finding ourselves in the final against our friends was very emotional.
What did this show mean to you?
JB. - It is a beautiful showcase, a recognition. The program is watched a lot by an audience that can come to us every day. The goal was also to show people our know-how, our shop and, for my part, highlight all my collaborators, especially Antoine who participated with me.
A. - I hadn't watched too much of the previous seasons. This experience allowed us to show our work and put ourselves forward.
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Like "Top Chef" for cooking, is the show recognized in your profession?
JB. - I find that the level has risen higher and higher. I know that at one time the bakers did not look too much at the program but this is no longer the case today. We see it on social networks with all the people congratulating us and who are part of the job. This year, the level of the final was very high. Bruno Cormerais even said that it was the most beautiful final he had seen in ten years. The level that there has been throughout the week will, I think, give the desire to the artisans to participate and it will strengthen the image of the show. If we were able to participate a little in that, so much the better.
How was this final week for you?
JB: We didn't know what we were getting into, we thought we'd go home on Monday. With Nicolas and Jean-Philippe, we were in the same hotel, we ate together. The more it went, the more we started to believe in this final that we wanted. We knew that, symbolically, it was going to be a great memory. On the other hand, we were aware that there would be a disappointed pair and that we would drive home together. We also had a lot of room during the return. It was a great final, a great adventure, the setting was great, the jurors very nice.
A. - It was my first TV experience so it was a bit stressful. In the company, we don't work much together with Jean-Baptiste because he's more on the bakery side and I am on the pastry side so it was really great.
Did it bring you closer together?
JB. - Yes because we have experienced emotions. It was different from the boss-employee relationship we usually have.
A. - We have always had a good relationship of trust at work. It was a very pleasant moment that we will not forget.
Antoine, Jean-Baptiste with their friends Nicolas and Jean-Philippe at the time of their victory in "The best bakery in France". Capucine GRANIER DE FERRE / M6
What do you think made the difference in the final?
JB. - It's complicated to say because opposite, they made a magnificent buffet. There was a high level on both sides. We even thought at one point that the jurors were going to put us on an equal footing, it was so beautiful... I think the difference was made on small details, decorative elements. We had the advantage of having one more day of preparation.
What were the strengths of your duo?
A. - Our complementarity. Jean-Baptiste is more focused on bakery and pastries. Me, I am a pastry chef and I cut my teeth in the kitchen, I take care of the kitchen, the pastry and the chocolate factory. So we form a good duo.
"The jurors were incredibly kind. We sympathized a lot. »
Baptist
Have you created links with Bruno Cormerais, Norbert Tarayre and Noémie Honiat?
JB. - They were incredibly kind. We sympathized a lot. Two days before the final, we spent an evening together, we had a great time, we talked about everything, our personal lives... In the evening, we were with them, we got in the room and we kept in touch. I recently had Bruno on the phone, Norbert too. He was lovely, he contacted me again a few days later to congratulate us. They were very human and very simple. We were a little apprehensive about all this because we always have an image of the jurors.
A. - We have ideas about people but when we rub shoulders with them off camera it's not the same.
What image did you have of them?
JB. - Bruno is quite strict even if over the seasons he has more of a messy image. But it imposes with its middle and its collar blue, white and red. With Norbert, we didn't know what to expect but we laughed a lot with him. Noémie is very endearing and sincere. She was as moved as we were when we won, she even cried. She was touched by our story with our friends.
Has your audience already increased since the show's launch?
JB. - Since the release of our selection on February 14, we have felt a nice increase of at least 30%. For a month it was intense.
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How do you prepare for the tide that will come after your victory?
A. - For the regional qualification, we were notified two weeks before. This time, we had more time to prepare the teams, so it should be a little easier than last time.
JB. - We are a big team with about thirty employees. We have experienced an exceptional wave so we expect at least as much and we are ready!
Will you offer particular products seen in the show in your establishment?
JB. - We had the idea to create an event to celebrate at home in Pau. On Saturday, May 20th, we invited Nicolas and Jean-Baptiste to our shop to sell their products. We have also created a box in which we will offer each of the products made during the final with four pastries, two breads, four pastries from each team and, little surprise, it is Noémie Honiat who will give the boxes to customers! We will do the return match in Bordeaux on June 3rd. We will offer our products in their bakery and we will market the box again.
After your victory, Olivia Grégoire, the Minister Delegate for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, Crafts, Trade and Tourism wished to meet you. How did this meeting go?
JB. - We had an exchange for more than an hour on several topics that concern bakery. We talked about the show and then we talked about more sensitive topics that concern all bakers, including increases in raw materials and energy prices. She wanted to know how we lived through those times. There was also a lot of discussion about the term "homemade" and the real craftsmanship. It was very interesting and rewarding.