Next Baking Master: Paris

In the supersized 90-minute premiere, Stephanie and Ludo welcome the bakers to Paris for their first challenge: make a dessert that represents their culinary point of view, while demonstrating their knowledge of French techniques. The bakers are then whisked away on a field trip to the luxurious Royal Monceau Hotel to meet pastry chef Quentin Lechat, sample his delicacies and learn about a fundamental French ingredient: cream. Once they get back to the kitchen, they must demonstrate both technique and innovation as they create one showstopping cake that features two uses of cream to determine who will be named the crème de la crème.

Everything is sweeter in Paris as hosts Stephanie Boswell and Ludo Lefebvre challenge the bakers to use French sugar to create petit fours. Then, they visit artisanal candy store Monsieur Caramel, where caramel magic is crafted. Sugar expert Yohan Kim gives the bakers a lesson in his signature caramel artistry techniques, and the competitors use what they've learned to design an innovative caramel dessert inspired by a French classic.

It's all chocolate and romance in the City of Love as hosts Stephanie Boswell and Ludo Lefebvre plan a visit to Jade Genin, Paris' most innovative chocolate shop, for a tutorial from expert chocolatier Jade herself! After the bakers craft a signature box of perfect chocolate bonbons, they are then sent on a romantic stroll along the Seine to seek inspiration for a chocolate dessert that incorporates three different chocolate techniques.

Hosts Stephanie Boswell and Ludo Lefebvre celebrate France's love of butter with a visit to the rule-breaking French Bastards Bakery, run by Julien Abourmad and Emmanuel Gunther. Julien and Emmanuel give the bakers a lesson in mashups as they present their signature creation, the "cruffin," as a muse for the competitors to create their own buttery mashup. Then, the bakers get inspired by Parisian fashion to craft a trio of desserts that work together as a collection.

The American bakers take the Paris farmers market by storm as hosts Stephanie Boswell and Ludo Lefebvre send them through a rainbow of bountiful produce to create crepe cakes with fruit. Back in the kitchen, the bakers get a lesson in ingredient philosophy from creative pastry chef Nina Metayer. Finally, the competitors tackle an unexpected farmers market dessert using produce that isn't typically found among the sweets.

For egg week, hosts Stephanie Boswell and Ludo Lefebvre challenge the bakers with a quintessential French dish that demands perfection: the soufflé. Then, trendy pastry chef Nesreen Mroueh instructs the bakers in making versatile but tricky pâte à choux dough, a staple in French desserts like cream puffs and éclairs. The bakers take this technique and whip it up into a large-format dessert that spotlights the incredible egg in three distinct ways.

The final four bakers are enveloped in the iconic pairing of wine and cheese as hosts Stephanie Boswell and Ludo Lefebvre send them to a fromagerie where they'll shop for a dessert spotlighting cheese! Then, the bakers set sail on a river cruise with sommelier Crislaine Medina and her lesson in delectable French wine and cheese pairings. Back in the kitchen, the competitors apply what they've learned to create a perfect pairing of two desserts featuring a French wine or liqueur.

Hosts Stephanie Boswell and Ludo Lefebvre whisk the three finalists away to the most iconic patisserie in the world, Ladurée, where they meet pastry chef Julien Alvarez and taste his magnificent macarons. In their final challenge, the bakers must put it all on the plate and create a phenomenal three-course dessert tasting menu, showcasing all of their skills and all of the new techniques they've learned in order to be named the next baking master!