Touria Laalioui-Mbarek wins Paris-Brest Grand Prix

Moroccan culinary creator Touria Laalioui-Mbarek has won first place in the amateur category of the Grand Prix du Paris-Brest de la Pâtisserie Française, a competition held as part of the Salon du Chocolat & de la Pâtisserie de Paris, which ran from October 28 to November 1.

Her winning entry reworked the Paris-Brest, one of the great classics of French pastry, using Moroccan ingredients, chief among them amlou and argan oil.

The contest, sponsored by renowned French pastry chef Pierre Hermé, asked amateur entrants to produce “a revisited Paris-Brest”, according to the Confédération Nationale des Artisans Pâtissiers (CNAP), which organised the prize.

Laalioui-Mbarek, who signs her work as “Les Recettes de Touria”, told MAP she was deeply honoured and proud to have won first prize in the Best Paris-Brest 2026 competition with this creation.

“I wanted to put Morocco and the richness of its terroir in the spotlight by revisiting this great classic of French pastry with Moroccan flavours, notably amlou and argan oil,” she said.

For the winner, the award is “an immense source of pride, that of having succeeded in showcasing our Moroccan culinary heritage through an iconic French pastry”.

The CNAP, chaired by pastry chef Laurent Le Daniel, a Meilleur Ouvrier de France, announced the winners of this first edition at a ceremony held over the weekend at the Paris show. The event describes itself as bringing together “those who bring chocolate to life today: artisans, chefs, creators and enthusiasts from all over the world”.