Sithamparappillai Jegatheepan is baguette champion of Grand Prix de la Baguette de Tradition Française de la Ville de Paris 2026. It was his first attempt at the contest where he beat out 142 other competitors. The daughter of the Sri Lankan immigrant had ‘warned’ her father “If you don’t win, don’t come home!”
The heading to this story alone should be remarkable.
Perhaps even more sensational is the fact Sithamparappillai Jegatheepan was crowned baguette champion in his very first attempt taking part in the competition which full name is Grand Prix de la Baguette de Tradition Française de la Ville de Paris 2026.
In fact, the 43-year old Sri Lankan Tamil baker thought the phone call he received was a prank.
“No! Are you sure you have the right bakery?” Jegatheepan asked in disbelief when the Deputy Mayor of Paris called to inform him he had won the 33rd edition of the competition.
For his victory, Jegatheepan beat out 142 competitors and took home a €4,000 prize. His daughter (he has two other children) had earlier ‘warned’ her father “If you don’t win, don’t come home!”
Perhaps the greatest honour of being crowned Champion of Grand Prix de la Baguette de Tradition Française de la Ville de Paris 2026 is not the prize money but the singular privilege and honour of supplying baguette – for a whole year – to the residence of the French President, the Elysee Palace.
Even as you read this, long lines are forming at Fournil Didot, 103 rue Didot, in the 14th arrondissement of Paris, where Sithamparappillai Jegatheepan bakes his prize-winning baguettes.
Le Fournil Didot at 103 rue Didot in the 14th arrondissement of Paris is a considerably more crowded and packed boulangerie patisserie since Sithamparappillai Jegatheepan was crowned ‘Baguette Champion 2026’. Expect a queue when you visit. In 2023, another Sri Lankan baker, Tharshan Selvaraj won the prize. Le Pain de Tharshan is at 44 rue des Pyrenees, 75020 Paris
Only four ingredients can be used to produce a “Baguette de Tradition Française”. These are flour, water, yeast, and salt. Judges blind taste each baguette for taste, texture, crust, crumb, also taking into account the size of the iconic French bread. The winner supplies the Elysee Palace with baguettes for an entire year
The panel of 16 judges was comprised mostly of bakers but also included five members of the public and some journalists. Twenty-nine entries were disqualified because they did not meet the strict guideline regarding the size of a traditional French baguette. The baguette became a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage on 30 November 2022
A naturalised French citizen now, Jegatheepan arrived from Sri Lanka more than two decades ago in 2003. At first, the immigrant worked in restaurants before turning to baking in 2008. The Sri Lankan had no formal training but learnt the craft on the job. He started with macarons and eventually moved to bread, later opening his own bakery, Fournil Didot, in 2018, ten years after he began baking.
In the Grand Prix de la Baguette de Tradition Française de la Ville de Paris competitions, baguettes must be made with only four ingredients: flour, water, yeast, and salt. Judges blind taste each baguette for taste, texture, crust, crumb, also taking into account the size of the iconic French bread.
“A ‘tradition’ isn’t made overnight … what truly makes the difference is the art of fermentation: that resting time, that slow fermentation at the right temperature (of the dough). I never thought I would win. It was the first time I participated, and I won the first time. I cried when we won because we are foreigners, and we came here to learn how to make traditional French bread,” a jubilant Jegatheepan confessed.
This is not the first time a Sri Lankan baker has received the honour. In 2023, another Sri Lankan baker, Tharshan Selvaraj won the prize in the 30th edition of the competition. Le Pain de Tharshan is at 44 rue des Pyrenees, 75020 Paris.
You don’t need to be French to bake a great baguette. All you need is devotion, hard work, talent, and purpose.
