Food Network’s “The Ultimate Baking Championship”, a nine-episode series, is featuring a Houston pastry chef who works at one of the city’s top hotels. Executive pastry chef Oralia Perez of The Post Oak Hotel is among 16 competitors who hail from all over the country. The first episode will debut on Food Network at Monday, March 9 at 8 p.m. Central Time and streams the next day on HBO Max and discovery+. 

“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 at Warner Bros. Discovery via press release. “The Ultimate Baking Championship chefs elevate pastry technique and artistry to the highest level we’ve ever seen.” 

This is not Perez’s first appearance on Food Network. In 2023, she was a co-winner of “Elf on the Shelf: Sweet Showdown” with fellow pastry chef Henderson Gonzalez. The team won $25,000 and the title of, “Ambassadors of Confectionery Concoctions”.

The show will be hosted by Jesse Palmer of “The Bachelor” franchise fame. Pastry chef and Food Network personality Duff Goldman is the lead judge and will be joined weekly by two additional judges, including luminaries in the field such as Jacques Torres, Molly Yeh and Amaury Guichon. 

Competitors will be tested on pastry chef skills, including laminated dough, sugar artistry, chocolate work and pâte à choux. For the first episode, they’ll be asked to create a dessert in their signature style that “tests one of the four tastes—sweet, salty, sour or bitter”. Those who get to the final challenge in the episode will then be asked to “create a dessert inspired by the roots of their baking journey”. The finale is May 4, and the winner will receive $50,000 and the title of “Ultimate Baking Champion”. Considering her previous win, it seems like Perez has a good chance of making it to the finale. 

Phaedra Cook

Phaedra Cook has written about Houston’s restaurant and bar scene since 2010. She was a regular contributor to My Table magazine (now closed) and was the lead restaurant critic for the Houston Press for two years, eventually being promoted to food editor. Cook founded Houston Food Finder in November 2016 and has been its editor and publisher ever since.