Euro-Toques Ireland is proud to launch the Rising Pastry Chef of the Year 2026, a landmark new competition dedicated to the next generation of pastry talent. Created in partnership with La Rousse Foods and supported by some of Ireland’s most respected chefs and mentors, this all-island initiative sets out to celebrate the skill, creativity, and innovation of young pastry chefs across the country, while honouring the core Euro-Toques values of provenance, seasonality, and integrity.
Pastry is more than presentation, it’s a craft rooted in discipline, driven by imagination, and deeply shaped by place. The theme of this year edition is “Community at the table: from place to plate.” This year’s theme is about community, who you cook for, where your food comes from, and how everything connects. We’re asking you to think about the people around your table today: your guests, your suppliers, your producers, and your wider food community. The ingredientsyou choose should support that community and reflect what’s around you. Heritage is also part of the theme. This could be where you’re from, or where you are now. It’s about taking inspiration from your roots, traditions, and experiences, and using them to create food that makes sense today. Food is always shaped by its surroundings, by what’s local, what’s in season, and what’s available.
Inspired by the legacy of Myrtle Allen, who believed food should always reflect its time, place, and people, this competition is designed to nurture rising talent and help them grow. Through a four-stage process – including an online entry, recipe development, interviews, and a live final cook-off – participants will be mentored and judged by a panel of industry leaders who are helping to shape the future of Irish pastry.
Taking place throughout summer and culminating in a live final on 5 October 2026 at Dundalk Institute of Technology in Dundalk, the competition will offer a transformative experience for rising pastry chefs ready to push themselves creatively and professionally.
With its focus on craft, mentorship, and community, the Rising Pastry Chef of the Year 2026 is set to become a defining moment in Ireland’s culinary calendar and a vital platform for the next generation of pastry visionaries.
What makes this competition different?
The Rising Pastry Chef of the Year competition is more than a one-day event.
It’s a guided journey that includes mentorship from some of Ireland’s top pastry chefs, access to a vibrant food community, and the chance to test your ideas, and yourself, at the highest level.
Expect workshops, inspiration, technical challenges, and storytelling. Above all, expect to be pushed to create pastry that reflects Ireland’s past, present, and future.
How can I apply?
In order to enter the competition, pastry chefs are asked to submit an application form and a social media entry through the Euro-Toques platforms. Following registration for the competition, the pastry chefs are tasked with a written assignment that involves developing a recipe based on the theme selected for the year.
Based on the written entry, candidates will be shortlisted for the interview stage. Those emerging successfully from the interviews will compete in the Finals. The panel of judges is carefully selected by Euro-Toques Ireland and includes both Irish and international talents.
As well as media exposure, the winner receives an education-driven prize, in the form of a stage to be agreed and arranged entirely by Euro-Toques Ireland
Be part of the Rising Pastry Chef of the Year Competition 2026, presented by La Rousse Foods
Follow us on social media in order to keep up to date with the progress of the chefs and if you wish to be part of this journey. Support the young chefs as they make their way towards the final:
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