On the World Stage pt. 1: Guittard Pastry Chefs' Journey Through the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie

For pastry chefs, few stages are larger (or more demanding) than the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie.

Often referred to as the "Pastry World Cup," the competition brings together the world's top pastry talent every two years in Lyon, France for a display of artistry, technical precision, creativity, and teamwork. Teams spend months preparing elaborate showpieces while developing components — chocolate, sugar, ice, and dégustation (tasting) —  that are judged with extraordinary scrutiny.  

At Guittard, we're proud to have not one, but two chefs who play important roles in the 2027 Team USA's journey to Lyon: Guittard’s Senior Director of Culinary Operations Donald Wressell serves as Training Operations Director, while Director of Culinary Applications  Josh Johnson serves as Chocolate Coach.

However, long before stepping into those leadership roles, both earned their place in Coupe du Monde history as competitors and coaches representing Team USA.

Donald Wressell: Building Team USA's Legacy

Long before joining Guittard in 2006, Donald Wressell had already built a distinguished career, including leadership roles at the Four Seasons Beverly Hills and recognition as one of the country’s top pastry chefs. In 1993, he competed in his first Coupe du Monde. Two years later, as Team Captain, he helped Team USA achieve a historic milestone: a bronze medal in 1995, the first Coupe du Monde podium finish for the United States.

That achievement marked the beginning of a remarkable relationship with the competition. Over the years, Wressell represented Team USA in multiple capacities. He contributed to some of the country's most successful performances, including serving as Coach and Manager in 2001, the year Team USA captured its first—and still only—Coupe du Monde gold medal, placing the United States among an elite group of countries to win the competition.

Donald Wressell (top right) as coach/manager for a Gold-winning Pastry Team USA in 2001.

Among the highlights:

• Bronze medal, 1995 — Team Captain

• Bronze medal, 1999 — Coach/Manager

• Gold medal, 2001 — Coach/Manager

• Fourth place, 2003 — Chairman, Coach, Manager, and Judge

•  Bronze medal, 2005 — Team Captain

• Bronze Medal, 2015 — Coach

For Wressell, however, the Coupe du Monde has always been about more than medals. His decades-long involvement – as competitor, team captain, coach, chairman, judge, and now Training Operations Director – reflects a commitment to elevating the craft of pastry, pushing creative boundaries, and proving that American pastry chefs belong among the world's best.

Josh Johnson: From Bakery Apprentice to World Cup Medalist

As a teenager, Josh Johnson worked in his uncle's bakery in Illinois, where he developed an appreciation for craftsmanship and discovered the creative possibilities of pastry. That foundation led him to train under some of the industry's most respected chefs, including Sébastien Canonne, M.O.F., En-Ming Hsu, and François Payard. Before joining Guittard, Johnson served as Executive Pastry Chef at Everest in Chicago, co-owned Cocoa Bean Fine Desserts, taught at The French Pastry School, and worked as Head Pastry Chef at Destination Kohler. Competition became a natural extension of his pursuit of excellence.

In 2012, Johnson competed alongside Donald Wressell and teammates Scott Green and Della Gossett, earning a silver medal and Best Dégustation at the World Pastry Championship in Las Vegas.

Three years later, Johnson achieved one of the highest honors in pastry competition when he represented Team USA at the 2015 Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie. Alongside teammates John Kraus and Scott Green, Team USA earned the bronze medal—its first Coupe du Monde medal since 2005.

Josh Johnson (left) and Pastry Team USA in 2015, taking home Bronze.

Our pastry chefs have experienced the pressure of performing on pastry's biggest stage, helped Team USA earn international recognition, and are currently training the next generation of top American pastry chefs. This experience carries into their work at Guittard, where they develop new recipes, solve culinary puzzles for our customers, and teach classes geared towards professionals in the industry.

Whether representing the United States in Lyon or developing recipes in the Guittard kitchen, we’re proud to work with chefs who exemplify the pursuit of craft at the highest level.