Louis Lesaffre Cup: Baking Competition at IBIE 2010

Washington / D.C. (ibie) The International Baking Industry Exposition, the Bread Bakers Guild of America and Europain will proudly co-host the Louis Lesaffre Cup, in which North and South American teams will vie for a coveted spot in the 2012 Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie (World Cup of Baking) competition in Paris, France. This regional qualifier will feature eight teams from North and South America, and will take place over the four days of the IBIE tradeshow, September 26 to 29, 2010. The competition area will be situated in a prominent area on the tradeshow floor, with two teams competing daily.

The Louis Lesaffre Cup requires teams of three to produce a specific number of baked goods in categories such as baguette, specialty and ethnic breads, Viennoiserie, artistic design, and savory selection, within a set amount of time. The competition provides a great opportunity to identify and showcase regional talent and places a spotlight on the skill, passion and pride paramount to the artisan baking profession.

«IBIE is honored to have been selected by The Bread Bakers Guild of America and Europain as the host site for the Louis Lesaffre Cup», commented Rich Hoskins, IBIE Committee Chair. «Having this exciting international qualifying competition at our event aligns perfectly with the goals we set for 2010—attracting more retail and artisan bakers, international participants and members of the media. Of equal importance, we’re adding buzz to the show floor, which will greatly enhance the experience of attendees and exhibitors alike».

Craig Ponsford, Chairman of the Board of The Bread Bakers Guild of America commented, «We were so pleased to be entrusted by Europain to hold this in the United States, and we are thrilled IBIE has seized this opportunity to advance excellence in baking in a venue that will double as an educational experience. We feel this will be a great event for sharing baking knowledge within the industry».