Beachcomber: 101 years old and still profound about pastry...

The occasion, and excuse for a superb glass of 2012 vintage Laurent-Perrier Brut Champagne, a cup of tea and some remarkably delicious buns was the announcement, at the French Ambassador’s residence in Kensington, of the British team for next year’s World Pastry Championships in Lyon.

I had not, until that moment, realised that there was a World Pastry Championships but when I saw a video of some of the amazing creations at last year’s events I realised this was a remarkable contest deserving my admiration and support.

Indeed, it put me in mind of an old tale, probably apocryphal, about the early days of lawn tennis in Korea.

The story goes that the British consul invited King Kojong and Queen Min to view this game being played by consular officials.

After some time the Queen is said to have commented that the players were getting very hot and sticky and she asked why such important people did not get their servants to do it instead.

Whether true or not, I have always seen Queen Min’s comment as a deep observation about the nature of sport.

Most of us are too unfit or busy or just plain lazy to dedicate ourselves to acquiring sporting excellence, so we let our servants, in the form of professional footballers, athletes and the like, do it instead while we cheer them on and take pride in their achievements.

Or many of us do so.

Personally I have never seen a reason for being happy that one group of people whom I do not know can kick a ball more effectively than another, or feeling annoyed that another lot are bowled out for 58 by some antipodeans.

The World Pastry Championships however is a sporting event of a far higher quality.

Under normal circumstances I feel intense animosity towards anyone who can cook better than I do but when their talent and expertise surpasses mine by such a stratospheric amount I can only stand back, applaud and look forward to eating their creations.

Britain has never won a medal in the Pastry Championships but thanks to their consistently high placings, our team has been granted one of five places directly into the final where 22 teams will be required to show their skills at patisserie arts, crowned by making three artistic creations of chocolate, sugar and sculpted ice.

The young and intensely dedicated British team, coached by Denis Drame of The Tastelab professional cookery school, will be spending much of this year and next preparing for the event and have high hopes of a great result.

Best of all, the results will filter down to all of us in the form of even better pastries and puddings in our best restaurants.

Unlike football, cricket and athletics, the Pastry Championships is something we should all cheer for.

And I am sure Queen Min of Korea would have agreed.