From strutting down the runway as a model to fixing cars as a mechanic, Lorraine is a woman of many talents. Find out how she found happiness in baking.
From a young age, Lorraine knew she loved baking. But she tried several different careers before she found herself back in the kitchen with her first love. Before arriving stateside, this British chef made her mark with best-selling cookbooks and hit shows in the U.K.
Lorraine Lives by an Old Tried-and-True Saying
“My baking philosophy is ‘Practice, practice, practice. Practice makes perfect.’”
Lorraine Lives to Awe Her Audience
“The most-rewarding thing about baking is the joy on people’s faces once you’ve baked something and you place it on the table and everyone smiles, and their oohs and ahs.”
Baking Came Naturally to Her as a Child
“My first baking memory is at school when I was 5 years old, we had to take the ingredients to school in an old tin and then we baked them in class. So much fun. Loved it. Fell in love with baking that day.”
Her Biggest Baking Disaster Happened in Front of Her Family
"I was making a chocolate cheesecake for the family. It took ages to make. I had this beautiful feathered top that was white chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate. I brought it to the table and, just seconds from the table, I dropped it."
She Loves Baking for the Most-Important People
"I love baking the most for my daughter. She’s very appreciative, she loves my food and it’s normally all gone in a second."
Lorraine Isn’t Afraid to Try New Careers
"I used to be a model, and I guess I got hungry. I wanted to change careers and do something that involved lots of food," she recalls. Lorraine says that if she weren’t a baker now, she would be an interior designer.
She Has a Love-Hate Relationship with Baking
Lorraine loves to bake because it brings her joy and happiness. On the other hand, she says, “I don’t like washing up.”
If She Could Bake for Anyone, It Would Be Oprah
"I’d love to bake a cake for Oprah Winfrey — a big, six-layer carrot cake with cream cheese frosting."
Surprisingly, Her Refrigerator Is Not Stocked with Food
When asked what the weirdest thing in her refrigerator was, Lorraine said, “It’s empty.”
Fish and Chips Bring Her Fond Memories
One of Lorraine’s favorite food memories is of being “on the easternmost point of Australia, eating fish and chips watching the ocean.”
Lorraine Is a Picky Eater
She doesn't like ice cream, burgers or even pizza! But she does like chocolate chip cookies, French cream puffs and Italian cannoli.
Her Favorite Food City: London
Lorraine rates her hometown highest, saying, "I believe we have the best food in the world."
There Is One Kitchen Tool She Cannot Exist Without
Most chefs say they can’t live without a sharp knife, but Lorraine says she can’t live without her spatula.
She Has a Thing for Pie
Lorraine says she would eat apple pie for the rest of her life if she could.
Baking Is About Precision for Her
She says that “baking is a science. It’s not about freestyling all over the place. If you freestyle and go away from the recipe, it’s not going to work.”
She Doesn’t Mind Takeout
If Lorraine isn’t making a chicken Caesar salad for dinner, she’s calling in an order for spicy Thai food.
Want More Lorraine Pascale?
Head over to Lorraine's page for more from the top baker, who serves as a coach on Worst Bakers in America and also judges the competition on the Holiday and Spring Baking Championships.
