Melbourne-based pastry chef Hyoju Park has been named one of La Liste’s Pastry Talents of the Year, marking a major international recognition for Australian culinary talent on the global stage.
The award places Park among an elite group of emerging pastry chefs recognised for creativity, innovation and influence in modern dessert-making.
Her recognition comes at a time when the Asia-Pacific region is increasingly shaping global pastry culture, with industry observers noting its growing impact on techniques, aesthetics and flavour innovation. The global pastry market is now estimated to be worth nearly USD 44 billion.
The La Liste Pastry Special Awards 2026 were held in Paris, bringing together chefs from across Europe, Asia, North America and the Middle East to celebrate excellence across 12 categories, including Talent of the Year, Innovator, Artisan, Best Opening and Hidden Gem.
This year’s awards recognised 36 winners from 18 countries, reflecting the growing diversity of global pastry leadership. Notable among them was Korean pastry chef Eunyoung Yun, who received the World’s Most Creative Pastry Chef Award, highlighting the rising influence of Asian chefs in the global culinary scene.
Women accounted for nearly one-third of the 2026 award recipients, with 11 female chefs recognised across categories.
La Liste founder Philippe Faure said the awards aim to provide a global and balanced perspective on culinary excellence. “In a world where opinions are increasingly fragmented, we believe that consensus remains valuable,” he said.
“By bringing together the judgments of guidebooks, critics, specialists and diners from around the world, La Liste provides a unique international reference point while respecting the diversity of culinary cultures.”
Park’s recognition under the Pastry Talent of the Year category highlights promising chefs working across pastry shops, bakeries, tea rooms and dessert restaurants.
La Liste, which ranks more than 35,000 restaurants and 7,000 hotels worldwide, uses an algorithm-based methodology that aggregates over 1,000 global culinary sources to identify top establishments and emerging trends.
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