‘The Ultimate Baking Championship’ Sets Release Date on Food Network
Get your piping bags and dough hooks ready: Food Network’s series “The Ultimate Baking Championship” will debut on March 9.
Hosted by Jesse Palmer with Duff Goldman as head judge, “Ultimate Baking Championship” will follow 16 pastry chefs as they are tested on their core techniques, from laminated dough and pâte à choux to chocolate work and sugar craft. Ultimately, only one pastry chef will become the ultimate baking champion and win the $50,000 grand prize.
Per Food Network: “In the series premiere, host Jesse Palmer welcomes sixteen of the country’s top pastry chefs for the most intense baking competition yet. After being randomly divided into two groups, they are tasked with creating a dessert centered around flavor profiles that test one of four flavors (sweet, salty, sour, or bitter), combined with a specific texture. Each baker must create an elevated dessert in their own signature style, inspired by their assigned profile, to present to judges Duff Goldman and Sherry Yard. After several eliminations, the remaining bakers advance to the Master Challenge, where the chefs must create a dessert inspired by the roots of their baking journey.
Throughout the season, challenges will include a science-inspired dessert battle, 3D chocolate sculptures and “larger-than-life” edible displays.
Goldman will be joined by a rotating panel of guest judges from baking legends, including Bryan Ford, Amaury Guichon, Shinmin Li, Jacques Torres, Sherry Yard, Molly Yeh and Zac Young.
Competitors for the first season include: Julian Belon (Miami, Florida); Florencia Breda (San Luis Obispo, California); Molly Coen (Monterey, California); Rochelle Cooper (Washington, DC); Sarah Craichy (Lake Tahoe, Nevada); Adalberto Diaz (Salt Lake City, Utah); Casey Doody (Chicago, Ill.); Arlety Estévez (Atlanta, Georgia); Robert Gonzalez (Boston, MA); Juan Gutierrez (Chicago, Ill.); Clement Le Deore (San Diego, California); Oralia Perez (Houston, Texas); Lasheeda Perry (Fort Walton Beach, Fla.); Cesar Ryan Sajulan (Brooklyn, New York); Christopher Teixeira (Chicago, Illinois) and Steven Weiss (Martinsburg, West Virginia).
“The Ultimate Baking Championship” debuts Monday, March 9 at 9 p.m. ET on Food Network and streams the following day on HBO Max and Discovery+.
The series is produced by Sonic Dog for Food Network.
“The participating pastry chefs are the best of the best – they are true artists whose desserts are stunningly beautiful and delicious,” said Betsy Ayala, head of food content at Warner Bros. Discovery. “The chefs of ‘The Ultimate Baking Championship’ are taking pastry technique and artistry to the highest level we’ve ever seen.”
