Flora Lazar Co-Produces Documentary Film

By Andra Moss

It is the Olympics of French pastry—a marathon three-day competition for the honor of being recognized as one of the finest craftspeople in la République, a Meilleurs Ouvriers de France (MOF). Held once every four years in Lyon, the grueling pastry competition presents the ultimate challenge to 16 elite finalists. They prepare for months, even years, for this chance to achieve the highest recognition in their field: the coveted blue, white and red collar of the MOF.

The stakes couldn’t get any higher, and the pressure is intense. Each competing chef must design and construct over 40 works inspired by that year’s theme. Using only edible materials, they mix, roll, spin and pipe as if their very lives depended on it. At various turns they become chemists and engineers, sculptors and glassblowers. The final, brutal test requires that they carry their ultimate masterpieces, laden with several-foot-tall infinitely fragile spun-sugar forms, from the kitchen to the buffet table. Not all survive the journey.

Yet, this extraordinary display of culinary and human effort is little known outside of France. Salisbury resident Flora Lazar, then living in Chicago, only learned of the competition while pursuing a lifelong dream of her own—to become trained as a French pastry chef.

Lazar, an academic working in the non-profit realm, took a professional break in 2007 to attend The French Pastry School in Chicago, one of the best training institutes outside of France. “While I was there,” Lazar recalls, “I became aware of this competition and its significance both in the profession and in broader French culture. One of the two founding heads of the school had the MOF designation, and the other was preparing for it. I thought it would make a great article.”

Her friends, renowned filmmakers D. A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus, thought it could make a great documentary film. One drawback: there were mere months before the competition would begin. Creating the first visual documentation of the competition would require, as Lazar notes, “a very quick turnaround.”
Nonetheless, Lazar energetically accepted the role of co-producer of the project, eventually titled “Kings of Pastry.” With the clock running, she found funding partners and negotiated access with the French government and, no less important, the pastry chefs. “It took a fair amount of convincing, but it was a phenomenal experience that I hope never to repeat,” she laughs.

Besides her longstanding love of pastry, she says, “What motivated me to do the film was how the MOF really provides a path towards excellence that is different from what we have here in the U.S.” Lazar, a scholar of the history of education, explains that she has a keen interest in positive post-secondary vocational paths for students.

She learned that the MOF was first created in 1924 in France to encourage and reward top talent across the spectrum of the artistry trades. There are MOF awards for, among many other fields, cabinetmaking, piano tuning, hairstyling, butchery and masonry. The goal, explains Lazar, is “to give the craftspeople social prestige and to offer financial opportunity. I was actually much more interested in the policy issues.”
From educational policy to the magical qualities of French butter, all will be revealed at the Norfolk Library on Friday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m., when “Kings of Pastry” will be shown with an introduction by Lazar herself (hat tip to Norfolk’s Mark Erder for making the connections.)  

Viewers will no doubt be swept up in the drama of each chef’s attempts to approach pâtissier perfection. Lazar, however, finds her greatest gratification in the film’s lasting impact. “Pastry chefs have often labored in obscurity,” she says. “This film brought pastry chefs to the front of the kitchen. There is interest in high-level French pastry and that makes me feel really good.”  

Lest one leave such a sweet evening with a bit of a sugar craving, never fear: the Annual Cake Auction at the Norfolk Historical Society is just around the corner. On Saturday, Dec. 6, at 5:30 p.m., the finest bakers in la ville will once again summon their inner Jacques Torres and Pierre Hermé to create decidedly decadent confections just in time for the holidays. Featuring near-MOF level snacks and cocktails, this popular fundraiser is always a treat, whether or not one captures a prized pastry. Visit the NHS website (norfolkhistoricalsociety.org) for updates and ticket information.