The Bread Bakers Guild of America has begun the selection process to choose its team that will compete in the Coupe Louis Lesaffre regional qualifier in 2019 and then if selected, subsequently compete in the Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie in Paris in 2020.

Bread Bakers Guild Team USA will consist of three team members and three alternates for each category: Baguette & Breads of the World, Viennoiserie & Savory Bakery, and Artistic Creation.

Selection for the team is only the first step of the process. If selected, members will be required to uphold their responsibility to the team by practicing on their own time and attending practices that may be scheduled at facilities around the country. The team practices will generally occur on a Thursday—Sunday, at least once a month initially, then twice a month as the competition nears.

All applicants must be active members of the Bread Bakers Guild of America; must be aged between 18 and 55 at the time of the competition (held in February or March 2020); must be working and must have proven professional experience; cannot be demonstrators or professionals working directly or indirectly for equipment, raw materials, or ingredients company; must be a national of the country they are representing OR have proof of five years' residency in the country and be working there at the time of the competition; and can participate in a maximum of two Louis Lesaffre Cups and two Bakery World Cups (in teams).

BBGA members can learn more about the application process here.