As Florencia and Christine Breda, co-owners of Breda Pasticceria e Cioccolateria, near the one-year mark since opening their own shop in downtown San Luis Obispo, Florencia stepped into the spotlight on a national television program.
Sweet sensation
Breda Pasticceria e Cioccolateria, located at 1021 Higuera St. in downtown San Luis Obispo, is open Wednesday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, visit breda-slo.com and connect on Instagram and Facebook @breda_slo. Watch chef Florencia Breda on Food Network’s The Ultimate Baking Championship on Mondays starting March 9 at 9 p.m. Pacific and Eastern time.
Florencia Breda, a Michelin-star pastry chef from Italy now residing in Grover Beach, is set to appear on the Food Network’s The Ultimate Baking Championship, premiering March 9.
The nine-part series pits Breda against 15 other chefs from throughout the country, including two from California—Molly Coen, head pastry chef at Carmel Valley Ranch in Monterey, and Clément Le Déoré, owner of Desserts by Clément in San Diego.
“We opened the shop less than a year ago, on April 14,” Breda said. “So it was crazy to be invited to compete on such a huge show. That’s why I thought it was a scam when they first reached out.
“I think they found us on social media, like Instagram. And maybe some contestants self-promoted. … It seemed that very few of us had never been on a show.
“Some were finalists or even won past baking shows. Clément was a finalist on Food Network’s Spring Baking Championship, and Adalberto Diaz, from Salt Lake City, won Food Network’s Bake You Rich.”
Breda said she wasn’t sure about her prospects given the level of talent, but she knew two things for sure: “I’m going to have fun, [and] just being selected was a win for me. I can’t fail if I’m on national TV.
“I’m going to for sure make friends … [and] whatever the outcome is, it’s going to be amazing for the business, because it’s about exposure.”
Although, she admitted, winning the grand prize of $50,000 would be icing on the cake.
In the series trailer, program host Jesse Palmer stresses that competitors “have been invited here to showcase your skills and extraordinary talent in the toughest baking competition of its kind.”
“This really is the best lineup of bakers I have ever seen,” added renowned pastry chef Duff Goldman, the show’s permanent judge.
Palmer, a former professional quarterback and game analyst, is the host of ABC’s The Bachelor and several shows on Food Network.
In The Ultimate Baking Championship, Palmer and Goldman will be joined throughout the series by guest judges—including baking legends Sherry Yard, Bryan Ford, Amaury Guichon, Shinmin Li, Jacques Torres, Molly Yeh, and Zac Young—who will evaluate the desserts based on flavor, execution, and technical difficulty.
In the series premiere, competitors are randomly split into two groups, then tasked with creating a dessert that is centered on flavor profiles that test one of the four tastes—sweet, salty, sour, or bitter—combined with a specific texture.
Future episodes include a science-inspired dessert battle, 3D chocolate sculptural challenge, and theatrical experience edible displays.
In the finale on May 4, Goldman will be joined by guest judges Li, Torres, and Yard to crown the champion.
Breda said she would draw inspiration from her diverse cultural background and global professional experience to wow the judges.
Born in Buenos Aires to Argentinian and Italian parents, Breda moved to Treviso, near Venice, when she was 2. After pastry school and stints at Michelin star Ristorante Il Pievano in Gaiole, Italy, as well as restaurants in England, France, Portugal, and Spain, she landed on the Central Coast.
Credit: PHOTO COURTESY OF FOOD NETWORK
Fellow Italian Nicola Allegretta helped launch her business locally by providing space to display her pastries and chocolates at his Peruvian restaurant Mistura in San Luis Obispo from 2022 to 2025 before she branched out on her own.
Breda Pasticceria e Cioccolateria’s theme is Italian at heart, although an in-house tea sommelier, Jennifer de Tréglodé, adds a British twist.
Breda and her wife, Christine, who manages the establishment, whip up a variety of small plates, including charcuterie, herb-marinated salmon, focaccia sandwiches, scones, and seasonal treats. The drink menu showcases Italian aperitifs—such as sgroppino, a Prosecco-lemon sorbet delicacy—along with espresso and curated teas.
In addition to assorted hand-crafted bonbons and desserts, the establishment provides a popular tea tower option, combining sweet and savory treats with tea service.
Credit: COURTESY PHOTO BY SABRINA CHASE PHOTOGRAPHY
The shop also offers classes and themed events, such the After Hours Dessert Bar and Tea Lounge, on March 6 featuring tea, desserts, a chocolate fountain, and live music.
Themed afternoon tea parties, with both adult and children’s menus, include Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory on March 14 and A Very Curious Alice in Wonderland on April 18.
And if you’re looking for something to do on Monday, March 9, and hopefully, for the next eight Mondays, tune in to the Food Network and watch Breda in action.
“Having my wife and our company featured on national television is both humbling and surreal,” Christine said. “I’ve seen firsthand the late nights, early mornings, and the relentless commitment she brings to her work. This honor represents not just talent but sacrifice and unwavering belief in her vision.
“She’s an amazing pastry chef with such an eye for detail and flavor, but what inspires me most is her character—her kindness, her strength, and the way she supports our family. I couldn’t be prouder of her or more grateful to stand beside her in this journey.” Δ
Flavor writer Cherish Whyte will be glued to the series and binging on Breda bonbons. Reach her at cwhyte@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in March 5-12, 2026.