Meet The Sweet Kings Of The Kitchen

On Sunday, February 20, at 3 p.m., Sag Harbor Cinema will host a screening of “Kings of Pastry” as the latest installment of its Hegedus and Pennebaker Retrospective, a yearlong series of events honoring the trailblazing documentary filmmakers (and longtime Sag Harbor residents) Chris Hegedus and D.A. Pennebaker.

“Kings of Pastry” follows Jacquy Pfeiffer, president and founder of The French Pastry School in Chicago, as he competes against 15 other French pastry chefs in hopes of being declared a “King of Pastry” by President Nicolas Sarkozy. Three days of grueling competition and edge-of-your-seat drama later, the chefs present six-foot tall statues of sugary confections at the Meilleurs Ouvriers de France (MOF). Hegedus and Pennebaker secured exclusive coverage of this never before filmed event, referred to by the Scottish Herald as, “the culinary ‘Hurt Locker’.”

Co-director, Chris Hegedus and Chef Jacquy Pfeiffer (via Zoom from Chicago) will be present for a Q&A following the screening of the film. The Q&A will be moderated by Sag Harbor Cinema’s artistic director, Giulia D’Agnolo Vallan.

The Sag Harbor Cinema “Kings of Pastry” afternoon will continue with a contest and tasting taking place on the third floor of the cinema immediately after the screening and Q&A. The contest will feature a selection of both sweet and savory pastries, prepared by a group of esteemed local chefs especially for this event. These creations will be evaluated by world-renowned pastry chef Francois Payard and Iron Palate consultant, Karine Bakhoum. Audience members will also be invited to judge and taste the competing pastries.

Attendees of the screening will have the option to purchase a ticket which will give them access to the pastry competition and tasting following the screening. All-inclusive tickets are limited and will be $25 each. Tickets for the screening and Q&A alone are $15 ($10 members). For tickets and information about the event, visit sagharborcinema.org. Sag Harbor Cinema is at 90 Main Street, Sag Harbor.

“Kings Of Pastry”

Dir. Chris Hegedus and D.A. Pennebaker

USA, 2010; 84 minutes, in English

“Kings of Pastry” brings to the screen a scene never before witnessed: 16 French pastry chefs gathered for three intense days of mixing, piping and sculpting everything from delicate chocolates to six-foot sugar sculptures. This is the MOF (Meilleur Ouvrier de France) competition, the ultimate recognition for every pastry chef; it is a dream and an obsession. The film follows Jacquy Pfeiffer, founder of The French Pastry School in Chicago, as he returns to France to compete in this competition of extraordinary skill, nerves of steel, and luck, in hopes of being declared, by President Sarkozy, one of the Kings of Pastry.

Chef Pfeiffer’s career began with an apprenticeship in Alsace at the famous Jean Clauss Pâtisserie. Following his apprenticeship in Strasbourg, Pfeiffer went on to establish himself as a leading figure in the art of pastry working with some world-renowned families and establishments. Some of these include the Royal Family in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; the Sultan of Brunei; the Hyatt Regency, Hong Kong; a prestigious pastry shop in Palo Alto, California; and both the Fairmont and Sheraton hotels in Chicago, Illinois. These experiences led Chef Pfeiffer to teach and consult in numerous of the most prominent properties and companies worldwide, such as the Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, the Atlantis Hotel in the Bahamas, and the Adolphus Hotel in Dallas, Texas. In 1995, Pfeiffer along with Sébastien Canonne, founded The French Pastry School where their team is devoted to imparting excellence. Today, The French Pastry School is considered one of the leading pastry institutions in the world. Located in downtown Chicago, The French Pastry School is the only major culinary school in North America dedicated to all things sweet and baked. The French Pastry School provides hands-on education taught entirely in state-of-the-art kitchens by world-renowned chefs.