Sri Lankan-born Baker Wins Paris's Best Baguette On Debut!

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sithamparappillai Jegatheepan, a 43-year-old Sri Lankan-born baker, clinched the Grand Prix de la Baguette de Tradition Française de la Ville de Paris 2026 on February 26, beating 142 rivals in his first-ever entry.

His bakery, Fournil Didot at 103 Rue Didot in Paris's 14th arrondissement, earned €4,000 and a year-long contract to supply baguettes to the Élysée Palace.

The City of Paris event, presided by Deputy Mayor Nicolas Bonnet Oulaldj, judged entries on appearance, taste, baking, crumb, aeration, size, and salt. A jury of pros, journalists, and locals crowned Jegatheepan's baguette supreme among 143 contenders.

Customers mobbed the shop post-win, hailing the baker who turned immigrant grit into Parisian legend. In 2023, Sri Lankan-origin Baker Tharshan Selvarajah made history by becoming the first Sri Lankan to win the prestigious competition for best baguette in Paris.