Kings of Pastry (2009)

91% of critics liked it
(33 reviews)
68% of users liked it
(1,185 ratings)

Film Forum is pleased to present the U.S. theatrical premiere of KINGS OF PASTRY, by legendary documentary filmmaking team, D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus (DONT LOOK BACK, MONTEREY POP, THE WAR ROOM), opening September 15. Sixteen contenders seek the Meilleurs Ouvriers de France… More Film Forum is pleased to present the U.S. theatrical premiere of KINGS OF PASTRY, by legendary documentary filmmaking team, D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus (DONT LOOK BACK, MONTEREY POP, THE WAR ROOM), opening September 15. Sixteen contenders seek the Meilleurs Ouvriers de France ("MOF"), France's highest honor in the sublime art of patisserie, employing vast amounts of sugar, butter and eggs - not to mention adrenaline - to create gorgeous, fantastical, delicious creations. Some of the world's most accomplished chefs gather in Lyon for three intense days of mixing, piping and sculpting everything from delicate chocolates and elaborate cream puffs to six-foot-high sugar sculptures. D. A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus secured exclusive access to shoot this never-before-filmed event. They follow chef Jacquy Pfeiffer, co-founder of Chicago's French Pastry School, as he journeys to his childhood home of Alsace to practice for the contest. During the competition itself, chefs work under constant scrutiny by master judges and their critical palates. These pastry marathoners race to deliver their creations (including extraordinarily fragile sugar sculptures) without shattering them. It's a suspenseful quest for artistic perfection - brimming with passion, sacrifice, disappointment, and joy - to become one of the KINGS OF PASTRY. -- (C) Film Forum

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Directed By: Chris Hegedus, Donn Alan Pennebaker
Genres: Documentary, Special Interest

In Theaters: Sep 15, 2010 Limited
On DVD: Feb 22, 2011
Studio: First Run Features

Critic Reviews

Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald
The Food Network is awash with cooking- and baking-competition shows, but The Kings of Pastry operates on a much higher level.
John DeFore, Hollywood Reporter
Documentary peeking into a high-stakes French competition will fascinate foodies.
Rick Groen, Globe and Mail
The documentary proves almost as sweet as its subject.
Jason Anderson, Toronto Star
What makes Kings of Pastry more than a sugar-coated showcase of culinary porn is its emphasis on the individual human dramas that exist behind all of these delicacies.
Stephanie Merry, Washington Post
As satisfying as, er, pain au chocolat.
Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle
Beyond the treats, which are complicated and no doubt mind-bending to consume, the film has its layers as well.
Rob Thomas, Capital Times (Madison, WI)
Beyond the competition, "Kings of Pastry" celebrates food as an art form to be savored, not a commodity to be consumed absent-mindedly.
Liz Braun, Jam! Movies
These guys are obsessed.
Emily S. Mendel, culturevulture.net
... through highly skilled directing and editing, this documentary comes alive with universal concerns and emotional content.
Andrea Chase, Killer Movie Reviews
The premise is pastry, but the story is about having a dream
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
[A] light-as-a-cream-puff film about a pastry competition in France.
Brent Simon, Shared Darkness
Slowly blossoms into something engaging and even poignant, despite an uninspired, point-and-shoot style that rivals Sarah Palin for its lack of inquisitiveness.
Robert W. Butler, Kansas City Star
I know, I know ... how exciting can a cooking movie be? As it turns out, really exciting.
Ron Wilkinson, Monsters and Critics
The arcane world of elite dessert chefs forms the atmospheric setting one of the ultimate tests of strength and spirit. Another winner from Hegedus and Pennebaker.
Robin Clifford, Reeling Reviews
If you are addicted to the Food Channel and cannot get enough of Gordon Ramsey, "Kings of Pastry" is a must see...if you have a sweet tooth, your mouth will water and your mind whirl with this carefully balanced ballet of culinary delight.
Laura Clifford, Reeling Reviews
Cooking competitions have become one of the mainstays of the every burgeoning genre known as reality television. But "Kings of Pastry" apart is set apart by many things, including a long historical tradition.
Peg Aloi, Boston Phoenix
Hegedus and Pennebaker treat this event as both rehearsal and performance, allowing occasional moments of beauty and humanity to peek through.

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Featured Audience Ratings

Daniel P

If you are interested in the culinary arts, you will probably like this documentary about three of the 16 chefs seeking the Maitre Ouvrier de France designation; if you're looking for an uplifting tale of overcoming adversity, you'll be mostly satisfied, though the… More
If you are interested in the culinary arts, you will probably like this documentary about three of the 16 chefs seeking the Maitre Ouvrier de France designation; if you're looking for an uplifting tale of overcoming adversity, you'll be mostly satisfied, though the director's angle leaves a little to be desired - it kind of felt like he just turned the camera on. The low budget filming bothered me, too. Interesting enough, and not much "wrong with it," but it just wasn't my cup of tea.
Walter M

"Kings of Pastry" is an interesting documentary about the Meilleur Ouvrier de France competition held once every four years with a spotlight on Jacquy Pfeiffer of the French Pastry School of Chicago. To borrow a phrase from one of the judges, it is kind of like the olympics… More
"Kings of Pastry" is an interesting documentary about the Meilleur Ouvrier de France competition held once every four years with a spotlight on Jacquy Pfeiffer of the French Pastry School of Chicago. To borrow a phrase from one of the judges, it is kind of like the olympics for pastry chefs in that not only have their entire careers been building to this one moment, it also entirely depends on what they do in competition which is stretched over three days. This time, the theme is weddings with a surprise in store for the chefs. Since this is a great honor that goes just beyond the cool tricolor collars, the judges watch the chefs like hawks in order to make sure they stick closely to the rules, so only the best have a chance. They are not the only ones as the cameras follow the chefs around as they create their concoctions which have to be handled as delicately as possible, giving new meaning to the phrase "agony of defeat." In fact, the judges root for their fellow chefs to make it, as the chief judge cries when he reveals how few actually qualified at the end. Even then, there is a happy ending for the film. However, the documentary did not make me hungry. Well, I wouldn't mind one of those lollipops.

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Kings of Pastry (2009)

Critic Reviews

Featured Audience Ratings

Daniel P

Walter M

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