Winner of "Le Meilleur Patissier 2013" Baking up a Treat!

As the "Great British Bake Off" comes to the end of Series 5, the French equivalent "Le Meilleur Patissier" - The Best Pastry Chef - is just launching Season 3 of this wildly successful show.

The competition, which is open to amateurs, is a great chance for pastry enthusiasts to show off their skills and passion to the nation, and also a platform for them to launch careers in this challenging and competitive field of cooking in France.

Season 2 winner, Mounir, the 31 year old from Champfleury in Avignon, has taken this opportunity to change his life and making the move not only into the role of pastry chef, but also the move to Paris! His cookbook has sold an amazing 15,000 copies and he has been called upon for numerous exhibitions, banquets and private parties.

"I had various proposals", says Mounir, who would still like to become a pastry chef in a Michelin-starred restaurant, "But I said we should take it easy, that I should not put the cart before the horse. I will be forever grateful"

Mounir has instead accepted the proposal of an investor to settle in Paris and open his own bakery. An amazing achievement for someone who up until 2 years ago had never made a cake in his life. A sabbatical in 2012 turned into a passion and determination to create the best pastry delights and desserts, and has ultimately now changed his life forever.

Mounir will open his bakery in Paris in January 2015...and we hope that one day he will return to Avignon to do the same!