Growing up around expert and traditional cooks in Tijuana, Mexico, Marcela was raised to be passionate about food, and she jumped straight into a culinary life with her first job working at her aunt’s cooking school in Baja, Mexico. Marcela realized she, too, wanted to pursue this growing love for food full time and enrolled in the Los Angeles Culinary Institute. She then went to the Ritz Escoffier Cooking School in Paris to become trained as a classical French pastry chef. Marcela later returned home to run a catering company and teach children about the culinary arts in Tijuana, all while collecting recipes and applying her knowledge and skills of her family’s cooking traditions to map out her dreams. She successfully translated her culinary knowledge and passion to the small screen as the host of her own Food Network series, Mexican Made Easy, which premiered in 2010. Wanting to share her expertise on great Mexican food that combines freshness and flavor with kitchen ease, Marcela published Fresh Mexico: 100 Simple Recipes for True Mexican Flavor” (Clarkson Potter) in 2009, Mexican Made Easy (Clarkson Potter) in 2011 and Casa Marcela: Recipes and Food Stories of My Life in the Californias (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) in 2017. Marcela lives in San Diego with her family.
Marcela is a judge on Best Baker in America.
The Simpsons movie is one of most anticipated films to hit the silver screen. In this competition, four professional cake designers try to capture the spirit of FOX's craziest family.
COMPETITORS:
Debbie Goard Owner, Debbie Does Cakes Oakland, Calif. Assistant: Chris Hirneisen
Mary Maher Co-Owner, Cakegirls Chicago, Ill. Assistant: Brenda Maher
Bronwen Weber Executive Chef, Frosted Art Bakery & Studio Dallas, Texas Assistant: Jennifer Bartos
Tad Weliczko Specialty Cake Designer New York, N.Y. Assistant: James Rosselle
Judges:
Tina Casaceli Director of Pastry and Baking Arts, French Culinary Institute New York, N.Y.
Patrick Coston Owner/Executive Pastry Chef, PC Desserts New York, N.Y.
Kerry Vincent Wedding Cake Designer/Hall of Fame Sugar Artist Tulsa, Okla.
Iron Chef Cat Cora is challenged to a culinary battle by Chef David Myers who is hoping to steal a victory.
Judges
Karine Bakhoum
Soledad O'Brien
Mo Rocca
Challenger stats: Chef Myers
From: Los Angeles
Restaurants: Sona, Boule
Cuisine: Modern French/Seasonally Spontaneous
Interests: Surfing, and traveling
Ideal secret ingredient: It would be a fun challenge to do anything.
Ideal judge: Jeffrey Steingarten
Culinary secret weapon: My team
Favorite restaurant: Sushi Nozawa
Favorite food: Sushi
Weirdest thing you've ever eaten: Fugu sperm sack
Favorite food destination: Tokyo, Singapore, and all over Europe
Alternative dream job: Architect