TOP-TIER PASTRY CHEFS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY BATTLE FOR ELITE TITLE IN "THE ULTIMATE BAKING CHAMPIONSHIP"

Nine-Episode Series Premieres Monday, March 9th at 9pm ET/PT on Food Network and Streams Next Day on HBO Max and discovery+

NEW YORK - January 30, 2026 - Sixteen elite pastry chefs push their innovation and execution skills to the limit in the new series The Ultimate Baking Championship, premiering Monday, March 9th at 9pm ET/PT on Food Network and streaming the next day on HBO Max and discovery+. In each episode, host Jesse Palmer tests the competitors on the core techniques that outstanding pastry chefs must master, from laminated dough and pâte à choux to chocolate work and sugar artistry. Duff Goldman is joined every week on the judging panel by a baking legend to determine who has the skill, vision and endurance to rise above the rest and who will leave the competition. Guest judges include Bryan Ford, Amaury Guichon, Shinmin Li, Jacques Torres, Sherry Yard, Molly Yeh and Zac Young. In the end, only one pastry chef will be named the Ultimate Baking Champion and win the $50,000 grand prize.

"The pastry chefs competing are the best of the best - they are true artists whose desserts are mind-blowingly beautiful and delicious," said Betsy Ayala, Head of Content, Food, Warner Bros. Discovery. "The Ultimate Baking Championship chefs elevate pastry technique and artistry to the highest level we've ever seen."

The competitors are: 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, Illinois); Arlety Estévez (Atlanta, Georgia); Robert Gonzalez (Boston, Massachusetts); Juan Gutierrez (Chicago, Illinois); Clement Le Deore (San Diego, California); Oralia Perez (Houston, Texas); Lasheeda Perry (Fort Walton Beach, Florida); Cesar Ryan Sajulan (Brooklyn, New York); Christopher Teixeira (Chicago, Illinois) and Steven Weiss (Martinsburg, West Virginia).

In the series premiere, host Jesse Palmer welcomes sixteen of the nation's top pastry chefs to the most intense baking competition ever. After being randomly split into two groups, they are tasked with creating a dessert that is centered around flavor profiles that test one of the four tastes - sweet, salty, sour, or bitter - combined with a specific texture. Each baker must craft an elevated plated dessert in their 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. Upcoming episodes include a science-inspired dessert battle, 3-D chocolate sculptural challenge and larger-than-life theatrical experience edible displays. In the finale on Monday, May 4th, judge Duff Goldman is joined by Shinmin Li, Jacques Torres and Sherry Yard to decide which remaining pastry chef wins $50,000 and is crowned Ultimate Baking Champion.

Fans can check out Food Network's Instagram to go behind the scenes of this elite baking competition and learn impressive baking techniques from Duff Goldman, Shinmin Li, Jacques Torres and more famed chefs. Viewers can also stay up to date on Ultimate Baking Championship news, learn all about the competitors and more on FoodNetwork.com.

The Ultimate Baking Championship is produced by Sonic Dog for Food Network.

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