Meet the Pastry Pros Competing in 'The Ultimate Baking Championship' Season 1

The Ultimate Baking Championship premieres on Monday, March 9 at 9|8c on Food Network. Over the course of nine weeks, 16 of the nation’s most elite bakers will battle it out — putting every baking technique to the test, including sugar and chocolate work — for the chance to win $50,000 and the title of Ultimate Baking Champion. Ahead, meet the competitors of The Ultimate Baking Championship Season 1.

Seasoned Food Network mediator Jesse Palmer will serve as host of The Ultimate Baking Championship, while pastry master Duff Goldman will act as the permanent judge throughout the series. Each week, Duff will be joined by a guest judge who will help him thoroughly analyze each pastry technique. Guest judges include Bryan Ford, Amaury Guichon, Shinmin Li, Jacques Torres, Sherry Yard, Molly Yeh and Zac Young.

Julian Belon is an award-winning pastry chef based in Miami. Earlier in his career, Julian developed mouthwatering desserts at Mandarin Oriental Miami and JW Marriott Miami, as well as baking under celebrated chef Norman Van Aken. Now, he serves as the executive pastry chef for Damn Good Hospitality.

Florencia Breda comes to the competition as a pastry chef with her very own Michelin star. Specializing in gourmet chocolates and desserts, Florencia, who is originally from Venice, is the owner and pastry chef at Breda in San Luis Obispo, California.

Molly Coen is the head pastry chef at Carmel Valley Ranch, a luxury, all-suite 500-acre resort in Monterey, California. She is the former pastry chef of Four Seasons Hotel Denver.

Rochelle Cooper is an award-winning pastry chef located in Washington, DC. There, she leads the pastry teams at La Collina and The Duck & The Peach. She is also an organizer for The Cookie Kindness Project, a DC-based group of bakers and food writers who bake cookies to benefit local nonprofits that support underserved youth and families. Formerly, she worked as a research and development chef for celebrated Michelin chef José Andrés.

Sarah Craichy is a ballerina turned executive pastry chef based in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. The former Jackson Hole Mountain Resort pastry chef now leads the pastry team at Edgewood Tahoe Resort.

Adalberto Diaz is a Salt Lake City-based James Beard Award Semifinalist for Outstanding Pastry Chef. He was a winner on Bake You Rich, applauded for his Cuban meat pies, and also appeared on Holiday Baking Championship and Best Baker in America. Now, he runs his Latin patisserie, Fillings & Emulsions.

Casey Doody is well-known around Chicago for her scrumptious focaccia and unforgettable tiramisu. She’s served as a pastry chef for the Masters golf tournaments, and is currently working as a pastry consultant.

Arlety Estévez is an award-winning Dominican pastry chef based in Atlanta, Georgia. She currently serves as Executive Pastry Chef with Wolfgang Puck Catering at the Georgia Aquarium, where she leads high-level pastry production for premier culinary events and experiences. Known for blending refined technique with vibrant Caribbean flavors, Arlety brings creativity, precision and cultural storytelling to every dessert she creates. Her work reflects both her Dominican heritage and her commitment to excellence in modern pastry.

Robert Gonzalez isn’t new to television: The Boston-based pastry chef was a semifinalist on Spring Baking Championship Season 10 and competed on Chopped Sweets. He now serves as the executive pastry chef at Masons Steakhouse and owns his own French bakery, Niveaux Pâtisserie, in Quincy, Massachusetts.

Juan Gutierrez is a Colombian-born pastry chef based in Chicago. He moved to the city when he was 16 to pursue a serious culinary career — by 24, he was an executive pastry chef. Now, he oversees dessert development for Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants as the group’s corporate pastry chef. He previously competed on Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking.

Clement Le Deore is a French-born pastry chef based in San Diego. He is the owner of Desserts by Clément and was a finalist on Food Network's Spring Baking Championship Season 9.

Oralia Perez is a pastry chef based in Houston. There, she serves as executive pastry chef at Bouchée Patisserie at The Post Oak Hotel.

Lasheeda Perry has a proven track record for wowing judges. She was a finalist on Best Baker in America Season 2, as well as the Season 2 winner of Sweet Genius. Beyond television, Lasheeda served as the pastry lead at The Beverly Wilshire Hotel, as well as the executive pastry chef at Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta. Now, she’s based in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, where she’s focusing on building her Queen of Flavor brand.

Cesar Ryan Sajulan is a Philippines-born, Brooklyn-based pastry chef known for his head-turning, mouthwatering creativity in the kitchen. Nicknamed a “pastry assassin,” Cesar is known for impressing the masses with his one-of-a-kind dessert creations.

Christopher Teixeira is a James Beard semifinalist and a Zagat 30 Under 30 recipient based in Chicago. He serves as the culinary director and executive pastry chef for The Fifty/50 Restaurant Group.