The Bread Bakers Guild of America

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We’re thrilled to announce that the Bread Bakers Guild of America is sending a talented team to represent the United States at the Mondial du Pain, one of the world’s most prestigious baking competitions, in France next fall.

Our Team USA consists of:

Candidate: Brian Evans, owner of Cleveland's On the Rise Artisan Bread, brings his dedication to artisan baking and flour innovation. Read Brian's story
Commis: Val Kertesz, an accomplished production baker supporting the team in their quest for gold.

Coach: Louis Volle, past Mondial du Pain medalist and seasoned baker who brings unparalleled expertise to the team.

The Mondial du Pain, organized by the Ambassadeurs du Pain, showcases the finest in baking artistry, innovation, and nutrition, with teams from around the globe competing for top honors. We’re proud to support our talented team as they prepare to showcase their skills and represent the best of American breadmaking on an international stage in October in Nantes, France.

The History of Competition in the Guild

The Guild has a long history of competition, going back to the first Team USA to compete in the Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie in 1994. Baking competitions encourage interest and innovation in our craft, and promote education and community among bakers around the world. The mission of Team USA is:

To foster goodwill and to promote education in the field of artisan baking throughout the world.
To demonstrate to the world that American professionals have evolved to a high degree of baking ability and have established traditions based on the richness and diversity of global baking traditions.
To instill pride and to provide leadership and education to artisan bakers and bread lovers all over America.

Team USA through the Years

Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie

Created in 1992 by the Meilleur Ouvrier de France Boulangerie Christian Vabret, the Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie (Bakery World Cup) brings together the best bakery teams in the world.

Every 2 years at the Europain show, the best teams from the international pre-selections, composed of three candidates each, compete in four categories: breads and baguettes and world breads, viennoiserie, and artistic design. Evaluated by a jury of professionals, the candidates must demonstrate rigor and creativity while respecting a theme associated with each competition. The Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie has been instrumental in raising the profile of artisan baking globally and inspiring generations of bakers to pursue excellence in their field.

2020

Kate Goodpaster, Viennoiserie
Jerod Pfeffer, Baguette & World Breads
Nicolas Zimmerman, Artistic Design

2016

Jeff DeLeon, Viennoiserie
Jacob Baggenstos, Artistic Design
Nicky Guisto, Baguette & Specialty Breads

2012

Jeremey Gadouas, Viennoiserie
Harry Peemoeller, Artistic Design
Mike Zakowski, Baguette & Specialty Breads

2008

Dara Reimers, Artistic Design
Solveig Tofte, Baguette and Specialty Breads
Peter Yuen, Viennoiserie

2005

Jory Downer, Viennoiserie
William Leaman, Artistic Design
Jeffrey Yankellow, Baguette and Specialty Breads

2002

Tim Foley, Baguette and Specialty Breads
Tim Healea, Viennoiserie
Ciril Hitz, Artistic Design

1999

Thomas Gumpel, Artistic Design
Robert Jörin, Viennoiserie
Jan Schat, Baguette and Specialty Breads

1996

Jeffrey Hamelman, Artistic Design
Glenn Mitchell, Viennoiserie
Craig Ponsford, Baguette and Specialty Breads

1994

Mary Ellen Hatch, Artistic Design
Rick Kirkby, Baguette and Specialty Breads
Greg Mistell, Viennoiserie

Mondial du Pain

The Mondial du Pain (World of Bread), held biennially in Nantes, France, is an international baking competition that showcases the skills and creativity of professional bakers from around the world. It was created in 2007 by the Ambassadeurs du Pain (Ambassadors of Bread), a French organization dedicated to preserving and promoting artisan baking traditions.

The competition emphasizes technical precision, innovation, and artistic presentation in bread and pastry-making. The Mondial du Pain is recognized as one of the most prestigious baking competitions worldwide and serves as a platform to elevate the visibility of artisan bakers, foster international collaboration, and inspire excellence in the craft. It also aims to promote healthy eating by encouraging bakers to use wholesome, natural ingredients.

2025

Brian Evans, Candidate
Val Kertesz, Commis
Louis Volle, Coach

2017

Louis Volle, Candidate
Lucas Monahan, Commis
Mitch Stamm, Coach

Masters de la Boulangerie

The Masters de la Boulangerie (Masters of Baking) is an elite international baking competition that serves as the culmination of the prestigious "World Baking Series," which includes the Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie and the Mondial du Pain. Organized by the International Union of Bakers and Confectioners (UIBC) and Lesaffre, the competition is considered one of the highest honors in the baking world. Unlike the team-based Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie and the Mondial du Pain, the Masters focuses on individual excellence. Participants are typically selected from the top performers of previous international baking competitions, such as the Coupe du Monde or regional qualifiers. Winning the Masters de la Boulangerie is often seen as the pinnacle of an artisan baker's career. The competition celebrates innovation while upholding the traditions of the craft, making it a showcase of global talent and a source of inspiration for the baking industry.

2018

Jacob Baggenstos
Jeffrey DeLeon

2014

Harry Peemoeller
Mike Zakowski

2010

Dara Reimers
Peter Yuen

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Questions about membership? Please contact us:

The Bread Bakers Guild of America
P.O. Box 8679
Cranston, RI 02920

T - 707.935.1468
E - info@bbga.org

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Team USA Heads to France for the 2025 Mondial du Pain