Bread king of Paris rises to the top in annual baguette contest: 'A lot of love'

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The new bread king of Paris has been crowned. 

Xavier Netry rose to the top of a field of 172 competitors and was declared winner of the 31st annual "Grand Prix de la baguette" earlier this week, said the Associated Press.

Netry, who has been baking for 25 years, is head baker at Utopie, a bakery in Paris' 11th district, says his Instagram page and the page for Utopie. 

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The competition judges baguettes on their taste, appearance, texture, airiness and baking quality. 

Judges included a deputy mayor of Paris, representatives from the bakery industry, journalists, and "six Parisians that City Hall said were drawn at random," said the Associated Press. 

Baker Xavier Netry makes baguettes in the Utopie bakery on Friday, April 26, 2024, in Paris. Netry was crowned winner of the "Grand Prix de la baguette."  (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Any baguettes that were uneaten were donated to charity, the AP said.

As the winner of the Grand Prix de la baguette, Utopie takes home a prize of 4,000 euros, or nearly $4,300. The bakery will also supply baguettes to the Élysée Palace for a year, the AP noted.

The Élysée Palace is the official residence of the French president. 

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In a video posted to his Instagram page, Netry revealed why his baguettes were so tasty. He credited the fermentation process, along with "a lot of love" and a passion for baking. 

He also said he hadn't slept for a full day since winning the prize. 

Netry credited the fermentation process, as well as "a lot of love" for why his baguettes are so beloved.  (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

The baguette, undeniably popular both in France and abroad, has risen to a status rarely seen for carbohydrates: official cultural icon. 

In 2022, the United Nations added "artisanal know-how and culture of baguette bread" to its "Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity." 

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Of the 730 listed items from across the globe, only five concerned bread or breadmaking. 

"Unlike other loaves, the baguette is made with only four ingredients (flour, water, salt and leaven and/or yeast) from which each baker obtains a unique product," said the United Nations. 

Netry's baguettes, above, beat out nearly 200 others to be named the winner of the 31st annual "Grand Prix de la baguette" contest.  (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

The name "baguette" translates roughly to "little rod," "wand," or "baton" in French. The name comes from the shape of the loaf. 

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Additionally, baguettes require specific knowledge and techniques.

They are baked throughout the day in small batches and the outcomes vary according to the temperature and humidity.

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Eating a baguette is a "specific sensory experience," said the United Nations.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.

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