Crème de la Crème pastry chef coming to Thame Food Festival

BENOIT Blin, fresh from from BBC’s Creme de la Creme and Head Pastry Chef at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons is coming to the Thame Food Festival on September 24, for the second consecutive year.

Benoit Bin

He will be judging in The Big Thame Bake and appearing on the Baking Stage to demonstrate his famous pastry cheffing skills.

Food festival Patron, Lotte Duncan, said: “All the chefs and bakers who join us are one of the reasons we are getting bigger, better and more famous by the day! They give their time for nothing and we appreciate all they do. Without them the day wouldn’t have the same buzz or atmosphere. And we all LOVE Benoit in the Thame Food Festival office! In fact, we may have a small crush on him! Happy Days!”

Benoit has been Raymond Blanc’s Head Pastry Chef at the award winning Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in Great Milton for over 20 years, where he leads and trains a team of 13, looking after all the dessert and bread preparation.

Benoit has most recently been a judge on the BBC2 Bake Off Crème de la Crème programme joined by fellow experts, Cherish Finden and Claire Clarke MBE. The show tested the skills of some of Britain’s finest pastry chefs, whilst demonstrating their passion and creativity in this wonderful industry.

He was awarded the most prestigious Pastry accolade in the UK, with the title of Master of Culinary Arts, MCA, in 2005. In 2009, he was recognised as Pastry Chef of the Year. Also, as President, Benoit lead the UK pastry team to the coupe du Monde finals in Lyon, January 2011 and is now the Chairman of the UK Pastry club which has been created to find and support future UK pastry teams whilst developing the pastry skills in the industry.