Jean-Philippe Gay - The Art and the Method | Pastry1 Magazine

As the son of a pastry chef, Jean- Philippe Gay has been immersed in the world of sugar from an early age, but he had no intention of making it his profession.

Through his studies, he hoped to become a physical education teacher, but several serious knee injuries in soccer prevented him from pursuing this path. Deprived of competition following his operation, he channels his passion for sport as a qualified coach for young people in various categories.

In 1974, accompanying his parents to a patisserie convention and already passionate about drawing, he was amazed to discover the artistic possibilities in the world of patisserie. This was something of a light bulb moment that revealed his true calling! "When I first saw artistic works in sugar I literally fell in love with this material and its textures. Following this shock to the system, I decided to stop my studies, much to my parents' surprise, and go to work with them.” After an apprenticeship in the family patisserie in Saint-Chamond, he passed his C.A.P. pastry-chocolate confectioner-glacier in 1976.

I literally fell in love with sugar and its textures

He continued to work with his parents as pastry kitchen manager until 1990, when he and his wife took over the business: "As my career progressed, I learnt on the job, in a manner that was entirely self-taught.” A keen participant in artistic competitions, Jean-Philippe Gay quickly multiplied the number of events he attended throughout France, winning numerous awards: 2nd prize in the Coupe de France des - at the age of 21 in Paris (1978), 2nd prize in artistic sugar at "la table de Luculus" (Dijon, 1980), 1st prize in the national artistic sugar competition of the city of Nice (in 1980 and 1984), 3rd prize at the Charles Proust in Paris (1981), 1st prize for artistic sugar from the city of Lyon (1983), silver medal at the international chocolate competition in Paris (1983), winner of the Challenge "les Mains d'Or" in La Roche sur Foron (1983 and 1984) and a silver medal from the Glaciers de France in Arpajon (1984).

"Before beginning the competitions, I had the privilege of talking to René Fontaine, Meilleur Ouvrier de France pâtissier 1976 and a specialist in sugar soufflé, with whom I subsequently developed a deep friendship. It was he who first showed me how to make a few basic sugar pieces, which inspired me to improve. In Nice, I met another M.O.F., Jacques Fourmont, who helped me to persevere and challenge myself when working with sugar. He went on to become my artistic mentor. Thanks to their advice and philosophy, I've learned to put my self-esteem aside, to constantly challenge myself and work even harder. I'm very aware of what a privilege it was to meet them. Over the years, I have entered as many competitions as possible to challenge myself against the best in the field."

I literally devoted ten years of my life to entering the M.O.F. competition

Literally obsessed with the blue-white-red collar, Jean-Philippe Gay took part in the 1982 M.O.F. final for the first time: "Despite the disappointment of not winning the title, I decided to enter again. With hindsight, I truly think that this failure was a blessing in disguise. In 1986, he finally won this accolade along with seven other candidates: Jean-Paul Hévin, Guy Monnet, Michel Blot, Paul Collet, Claude Villedieu, Jacques Torres and Joël Patouillard. "This competition will always remain a humbling experience, an incomparable event that enriches both your professional and personal life. I literally devoted ten years of my life to entering this competition and obtaining the title. I never wanted to mix my daily work in the family patisserie with my passion for competitions, because leading by example is always the best approach. For me, the M.O.F. title has never been a goal in itself, because we then have to prove each day that we remain worthy of it.”

Highly committed to passing on his craft, Jean-Philippe was Vice-Chairman of the M.O.F competition between 1993 and 2001, before becoming National President of the Meilleurs Ouvriers de France Pâtissier from 2001 to 2005. During the long period he spent taking part in competitions, Jean-Philippe Gay became a true sugar virtuoso. "I think I was recognized professionally for the quality of my work in the field of pulled sugar. Over time, I came to specialize in seven-color ribbon work. In my experience, I'm unable to handle a pulled sugar piece with gloves on, because I need to be able to feel the material under my fingertips. It is essential to devote a great deal of time and energy to working with sugar before you succeed in mastering this medium. Its physical characteristics are so different depending on the workspace environment and air humidity, that it is necessary for the quality of the sugar to be identical right through to the final result. There have been times when I've been able to master the medium so perfectly that it’s pure ecstasy.”

We have to prove each day that we remain worthy of the M.O.F. title. 

From 1986 to 2002, Jean-Philippe Gay was also an instructor at the École Nationale Supérieure de la Pâtisserie Française in Yssingeaux, where he communicated his skills and knowledge with passion: "With Jacques Fourmont, we were the first to set up preparatory courses for high-level competitions. With Jacques, we had the privilege of training over 20 trainees who went on to become Meilleurs Ouvriers de France.” In 1987, he created a masterpiece for French President François Mitterrand, a feat he remains particularly proud of. In 1989, for the first edition of the Coupe du Monde de Pâtisserie [Pâtisserie World Cup], he coached the French team, made up of Mickaël Azouz, Thierry Froissard and Serge Billet, who won the title that year.

He remained Vice-Chairman of the International Committee until 2019, organizing the World Cup: "this competition was conceived by two-time M.O.F. Gabriel Paillasson, who has since become a very close friend, an outstanding visionary who succeeded in bringing together pastry chefs, chocolatiers and ice-cream makers, three guilds which were at the time in great competition, with the aim of working together. Thanks to my key role as Vice-President of the International Committee, I've also been able to keep in touch with the best that the profession has to offer on an international level.”

In his spare time, and as a tribute to his sporting past, Jean- Philippe has also been involved in a number of associations, culminating in becoming President of a major soccer club (Club Olympique Saint-Chamond). Today, at the age of 66, Jean-Philippe Gay is still manager of his patisserie, where he continues to delight a large number of sweet tooths who appreciate the quality and consistency of his products: "Since I started out, I've never forgotten that the priority of our business was above all to produce cakes made from top-quality raw materials on a daily basis and, of course, to meet our customers' high expectations.”