‘The Ultimate Baking Championship’ Sets Release Date at Food Network (EXCLUSIVE)

Get your piping bags and dough hooks ready: Food Network‘s “The Ultimate Baking Championship” series is set to debut March 9.

Hosted by Jesse Palmer with Duff Goldman as head judge, “Ultimate Baking Championship” will follow 16 pastry chefs tested on their core techniques, from laminated dough and pâte à choux to chocolate work and sugar artistry. In the end, only one pastry chef will be named 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 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.”

Throughout the season, challenges will include a science-inspired dessert battle, 3-D chocolate sculptures and “larger-than-life theatrical experience” edible displays.

Goldman will be joined by a rotating panel of baking legend guest judges, including Bryan Ford, Amaury Guichon, Shinmin Li, Jacques Torres, Sherry Yard, Molly Yeh and Zac Young.

Competitors for the inaugural 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, 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).

“The Ultimate Baking Championship” will debut Monday, March 9 at 9 p.m. ET on Food Network and stream the next day on HBO Max and Discovery+.

The series is produced by Sonic Dog for Food Network.

“The pastry chefs competing are the best of the best – they are true artists whose desserts are mind-blowingly beautiful and delicious,” Warner Bros. Discovery head of food content Betsy Ayala said. “’The Ultimate Baking Championship’ chefs elevate pastry technique and artistry to the highest level we’ve ever seen.”