In Strasbourg, Nathan Hanss is showcasing his family’s heritage at the 2026 Rabelais Prize
Nathan Hanss, a new generation at the Strasbourg bakery
In Strasbourg, Nathan Hanss is making progress in a profession he’s known since childhood. His family has been in the pastry business for six generations, and the young artisan grew up in the family workshop. Now an apprentice, he’s forging his own path: to the inherited legacy he adds a desire to experiment and a taste for competitions.
The family home is located in the Finkwiller district. But simply repeating familiar techniques doesn’t mean merely reproducing them. For Nathan, pastry making is also a space for expression, where technical precision serves personal ideas. The choice of flavors, the interplay of textures, and the visual composition all become ways of giving a dessert its own identity. ( dna.fr )
Competitions to learn to surpass oneself
This quest for improvement led him to the Best Apprentice of France pastry chef competition. After winning the Grand Est regional selection in October 2025, he reached the national final held in Arcachon on April 21, 2026, where he took third place. The competition required him to prepare several dishes within a limited time: an exercise that demands as much organization and consistency as mastery of technique. ( dna.fr )
The eight-hour competition format tests candidates’ ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously. They must anticipate different processes, monitor cooking times, and perfect the finishing touches while maintaining For an apprentice, this demanding environment also provides an opportunity to identify their automatic responses, pinpoint areas for improvement, and gain confidence. ( les-rabelais-des-jeunes-talents.fr )
The Rabelais Prize, an award for pastry
Nathan Hanss’s career was celebrated in Paris on September 23, 2026, at the Rabelais Awards for Young Talents in Gastronomy. At 18, he was among the winners in this year’s pastry chef category. Organized by the General Confederation of Food Retailers, the awards recognize young professionals in the food industry. ( dna.fr )
This award comes after his podium finish at the national competition, but the two distinctions are not the same: one recognizes his ranking in the MAF final, the other distinguishes him among young culinary talents. Together, they highlight an important stage in his training, without marking the end of his journey.
Between inherited know-how and new ideas
Artisanal pastry-making rests on rigorous principles: careful weighing, respecting the techniques, and understanding how the preparations react. This foundation then allows for free expression. A combination of flavors can bring freshness or depth; an alternation of textures makes the tasting experience more vibrant; and finally, the shape gives the dessert its unique appearance.
For Nathan, this creative freedom seems to be a key driving force. His family heritage gave him an early connection to the craft, while competitions encouraged him to step outside the box and have his work judged by an outside perspective. It’s not a question of choosing between tradition and innovation, but rather of fostering a dialogue between the two: learning the fundamentals, then using them to develop his own artistic sensibility.
A new objective in sight
The young pastry chef hopes to continue this momentum and mentions WorldSkills as a future goal. This ambition extends an approach already present in his journey: accepting the demands of a competition, honing his precision, and continuing to improve. The upcoming events will provide him with new opportunities to interact with other candidates and refine his skills.
In Strasbourg, Nathan Hanss continues along a path that is both familial and personal. The sixth generation doesn’t simply receive expertise; it tests it, enriches it, and seeks to give it new expression. His 2026 Rabelais Prize marks recognition, while his projects remind us that his learning process remains dynamic.
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