Jana Lai: Persevering and Winning at the Top Tier of the French Pastry Scene

Jana Lai is a pint-sized pastry chef with an insatiable appetite for success. With her determination and fierce competitive spirit, Jana has fought through the competition scene, recently taking home second place at the World Pastry Cup as the first female ever to join the French team. Hailing from Australia, Jana began her culinary journey under the guidance of notable chefs Maria Lantelme, Shaun Quade, and Pierre Roelofs. But the call (and smell) of the pastry capital of the world proved too strong to resist, and Jana followed her heart to France, where she continues to hone her craft with an unrelenting dedication to perfection. Today, Jana serves as a pastry chef instructor at the prestigious Ecole Bellouet Conseil, under the expert mentorship of Jean-Michel Perruchon, MOF. And with her fire still burning bright and her sights set even higher, Jana shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. In this episode we discuss: How Jana first became interested in pastry The trip to Paris and the connections she made that changed her life How she got a job working for Jean-Michel Peruchon at Bellouet Conseil How she ended up on Team France, competing at the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie The rigors of training for the competition The excitement of placing second at the Coupe Three of Jana's favorite pastry shops in Paris And much more! Episode Sponsored by Guittard Chocolate Company We know the level of expertise required to succeed in pastry.  At Guittard, our family has been perfecting our craft for five generations.  We source premium cacao beans from all over the world to offer a variety of flavor profiles and meet any application need. Now these chocolates are available in an easy to use 3 kilo bag.  At Guittard, we focus on the chocolate details so you can focus on your craft.  Visit www.Guittard.com to learn more.