He'd already claimed the world champion title in 2023. Clearly, that wasn't quite enough for him. This past Saturday, September 26th, Aurèle Mestré, owner of the Friterie Mestré in Lille, proved himself the best when facing off against other former world champions at the fourth edition of the World French Fry Championship in Arras. A victory that should definitely settle the question of what's for lunch today.
The Lille Champion Crowned in the Battle of Champions
Last Saturday, Arras's Grand'Place carried the faint aroma of potatoes and cooking oil. The city was hosting the fourth edition of the World French Fry Championship, which has become an unmissable event for lovers of perfectly golden fries. Seven categories were on the menu this year: authentic fries, family-style, international, rising stars, sauces, artisanal chips… and a brand new one that's particularly exciting: the Battle of Champions. The concept? Bring back former winners of the World French Fry Championship to
rule to settle it. And in this little game, it was Aurèle Mestré, from Friterie Mestré in Lille, who came out on top. He beat out Armand Broutier, from O' Gras de Bœuf in Montcavrel, and Nilufer Bahadir, from La Frite d'Or in Cannes. Champion among champions. We're starting to run a little short on superlatives.Voir cette publication sur Instagram
He had already been crowned world champion in 2023
Because Aurèle Mestré is clearly not making his first cone of fries. During the very first edition of the World French Fry Championship in 2023, this Lille native already turned heads by winning the championship's top category at the time: Authentic Fries, reserved for professional restaurateurs. Back then, his recipe won over the judges thanks to a two-step cooking process: first a bath in sunflower oil, then a second one in beef fat, to achieve fries that are crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. A method he was already applying daily in his Lille fry shop. Three years later, here he is again on the top step of the podium, this time up against other former champions. Lille's fries apparently still had things to prove.
From engineer to world champion of fries
And the journey behind
Aurèle's journey into the fry stand business is rather unexpected. Originally from Laon, Aurèle Mestré is an engineer by training and worked in the industry for several years before making a complete career change in 2020. Off to Lille, where he ventures into catering before opening Friterie Mestré in September 2022, on rue Léon-Gambetta, on the Wazemmes side of town. His idea: go back to fresh fries prepared on-site, with potatoes worked on daily and traditional cooking in two batches. Barely a year later, his establishment snagged its first world title. We've known professional career changes that were a little less successful.And a second Friterie Mestré is coming to Vieux-Lille
And the story shouldn't end in Wazemmes. Aurèle Mestré is currently preparing the opening of a second Friterie Mestré in Vieux-Lille, announced for November 2026. A new location that arrives with a marketing argument pretty hard to beat: its owner literally just won the world championship.actually beating other world champions. In the meantime, Lille residents can always enjoy the doubly-rewarded fries on Gambetta Street. And since they've just won a competition among former champions, it's considered that ordering them "just to verify if they really deserve their title" constitutes a perfectly acceptable journalistic endeavor.
Hauts-de-France has claimed several more titles
Aurèle Mestré is certainly not the only regional representative to shine at this 2026 edition. The Rising Star Fry category was won by Noha Logez from CFA Don Bosco, ahead of Noah Soufflet and Jade Hartel: an entirely Hauts-de-France podium. Alexandre Blondiaux also claimed the title in the Fry Sauces category, while André Vanlerberghe from La Chips Française triumphed in artisanal chips. However, to be entirely precise, the 2026 Authentic Fry title went to Logan Poirson from La Baraque Poirson, in the Pays de la Lory. So no, we can't say that Lille officially owns "the world's best fry 2026" across all categories. But the winner of the Champions Battle, he is indeed from Lille. And in a way, beating the champions when you've already been a champion yourself, that looks pretty darn good on a CV.