Verzênay Wins First Place for Challah and Earns Multi-Category Honors at the 2025 Tiptree World Bread Awards

Verzênay Chicago (2507 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago; 773-799-8312; https://verzenaychicago.com), the French bakery and patisserie led by Executive Chef Arshiya Farheen, won First Place (Challah) at the Tiptree World Bread Awards USA 2025 during IBIE in Las Vegas. Judged blind against entrants from across the U.S. and abroad, the bakery also earned distinctions across multiple categories. Head Bread Baker Kathryn Buck participated alongside Executive Chef Farheen in preparing and presenting the entries.

Awards & Recognitions (Judged September 16, 2025)

• First Place — Challah
• Runner-Up — Baguette
• Runner-Up — Flatbread (Lachcha Paratha)
• Gold Certificate of Excellence — Specialty: Savory (Cheese Sourdough Bread)
• Silver Certificate of Excellence — Sourdough Oat Porridge

Verzênay's delicious Challah earned first place at the Tiptree World Bread Awards USA 2025Photo courtesy of Verzênay

Verzênay Chicago's award-winning Baguette earned runner-up honors at the 2025 Tiptree World Bread Awards USA. Photo courtesy of Verzênay

Competition Journey. With the goal of offering freshly baked breads, Arshiya and Kathryn took their starter, ingredients, and tools to Las Vegas, and over two days, they mixed, fermented, braided, shaped, and baked multiple entries, balancing their craft with the constraints of a trade-show environment.

Executive Chef Arshiya Farheen and Head Bread Maker Kathryn Buck at the Tiptree World Bread Awards
Photo courtesy of Verzênay

“This win is as much about the community of bakers and vendor collaborations as it is about bread,” said Executive Chef Arshiya Farheen. “It’s also an honor to stand alongside talented professionals, including Ceor bread, Wynn hotel, Epicerie Boulud, and many more. I’m especially proud of Head Bread Baker Kathryn Buck, who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with me and adapted to every challenge.”

About the Tiptree World Bread Awards USA @ IBIE

• Scale: 170 product submissions across 12 categories from artisan and professional bakers.
• Judging: Blind tasting by an independent expert panel, scored on appearance, bake quality, crumb structure, and taste/flavor.
• Standards: The USA edition follows the UK-established World Bread Awards methodology, ensuring consistent, internationally recognized scoring.
• Results & score bands: Category First Place and Runner-Up were announced live at IBIE on September 16, 2025; Gold/Silver Certificates of Excellence were subsequently issued to entrants, reflecting the scores achieved in blind judging.

About Verzênay Chicago
Founded in 2014 and based in Lincoln Park, Verzênay Chicago is a French bakery and patisserie owned and led by South Indian Executive Chef Arshiya Farheen. The bakery is known for artisan breads, viennoiseries, and refined pastries rooted in seasonal Midwestern ingredients with subtle Indian influences expressed through classical French techniques.

Verzênay is open everyday except Tuesdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information about Verzênay, please visit the website at https://www.verzenaychicago.com, send an email to contact@Verzenaychicago.com, or call (773) 799-8312.

Follow Verzênay on Social Media:

• On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Verzenaychicago/
• On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Verzenaychicago/