UNUSUAL. Dont Change a Winning Team: the World Plancha Championship is preparing in secret

    Essential

A new edition of the World Plancha Championship will be held in Hossegor from May 15 to 17, 2026. On this occasion, Sabrina and Thierry Barnabé, a couple residing in Auch (Gers), will try to win first place, which they narrowly missed out on last year: they finished in second place. Meeting.

Next weekend will be marked by a special competition held in Hossegor (Landes): the World Plancha Championship will be in full swing from May 15 to 17, 2026. Auch will be represented by Sabrina and Thierry Barnabé, a couple from Auch who are 56 and 57 years old, passionate about cooking and plancha.

This will be the couple’s second participation, having finished second last year. They hope to win the competition and the prizes that come with it. Last year, they were surprised by the quality of the prizes: “A thermos, a pot, and a 12-year-old bottle of whiskey, all for every member of each team on the podium,” recalls Thierry.

From May 15 to 17, the BarnaB duo are aiming for the jackpot: Le Marquier planchas. The French brand, specializing in barbecues, organizes the event and the winners receive high-quality planchas as prizes, which would be a luxury for the two from Gers. “Ours is pretty old, over 15 years old… It’s the plancha my father bought, but I would like to change it,” said Thierry.

Family and convivial cuisine

For the Barnabé family, the passion for plancha and cooking is a family affair, but it was Thierry who discovered it first in their relationship. “Almost every Sunday, we would gather for a family meal with my parents, my brother, and sister.” This tradition extended to the competition with his brother during the 1st French plancha championship on June 24 and 25, 2023, in Nogaro.

This first competition led them to fourth place and fueled some ambitions. “It convinced him that he was really into cooking. And so, my brother changed careers, he’s a chef now,” explained Thierry.

Wanting to continue sharing the pleasure of plancha, the first world championships in 2025 were a hit. However, Thierry’s brother was unavailable, so his wife Sabrina took over. And they hit the jackpot! “We came in second, so we shouldn’t change a winning team.”

Between rivalry and the desire to enjoy

Against them are their rivals, the winners of the 2025 edition: Barbecue Way of Life. Their team name, but also their channel name, the two Bordeaux friends are YouTubers specializing in cooking and barbecue. The almost 37,000 subscribers are representing them this year, so the goal for BarnaB remains the same: beat them and win the title.

They will have to go through three different tests. “For the first one, it’s usually tapas that need to be cooked according to certain conditions.” After the jury’s vote, they can proceed to the next stage: the “mystery box.” “We have to use all the unknown ingredients to create a recipe. Last time, it was a kind of sausage rougail.” Finally, the finale: “Three teams are selected and have access to the grocery store to create whatever they want.”

The goal is to win, of course, but without being too competitive, as Thierry says: “We’re not betting our lives on the plancha!” For them, it’s all about having a good time and relaxing. The competition takes place in the Good Food Good Mood festival, with culinary workshops, entertainment, and concerts. Good spirits will be at the forefront with a hint of rivalry, hoping to see the Gers team emerge victorious.