Zoe Peckich, who went to Canon-McMillan High School, is a pastry chef at Ritual House and was previously with Monterey Bay Fish Grotto.
Pittsburgh pastry chef becomes a finalist in Food Network's 'Summer Baking Championship'
Zoe Peckich, who went to Canon-McMillan High School, is a pastry chef at Ritual House and was previously with Monterey Bay Fish Grotto.
RITUAL HOUSE DOWNTOWN. ZOE PECKISH ELEVATES YOUR GRANDMA STRAWBERRY PRETZEL SALAD. NO, IT’S SUCH A PITTSBURGH DESSERT, BUT I’M ACTUALLY TAKING STRAWBERRIES AS LIKE, A MOLD OF THEM. AND I’M MOLDING IT INTO A STRAWBERRY DIPPING THAT INTO JELL-O AND PLACING IT WITH A PRETZEL CRUMBLE. I WANTED TO SEE IF IT COMPARES TO MY AUNT VAUGHN’S. I’M JUST GOING IN. OH. OH, LOOK AT THAT BABY. DO YOU SEE THIS? THE MOMENT OF TRUTH FOR THIS GUY HERE. OKAY, SO STRAWBERRY PRETZEL, JELLO SALAD. PITTSBURGH WITH CHEERS. ZOE. OKAY. CHEERS. MY HONEST REVIEW IN JUST A MOMENT. THE CANON-MCMILLAN GRADUATE’S REPUTATION FOR MASTERFUL DESSERTS PRECEDES HER. THE FOOD NETWORK ACTUALLY CONTACTED PEAco*ck ABOUT AUDITIONING. I WAS ACTUALLY SHOCKED. THEY REACHED OUT TO ME AT THE TIME I WAS WORKING AT MONTEREY BAY, AND THEY HAD REACHED OUT AND SAID, HEY, WE WOULD LOVE TO SPEAK TO YOUR PASTRY CHEF ABOUT MAYBE DOING OUR COMPETITION PENS AND DIVE INTO THE HOTTEST COMPETITION OF THE SUMMER. OH, HERE WE GO. WE HAVE TEN BAKERS WHO ARE READY TO BRING THE HEAT. WHOA! WHEN I FIRST ARRIVED THERE, I COULDN’T BELIEVE I WAS EVEN THERE. BUTTERFLIES, OF COURSE. ANXIOUS A LITTLE STRESSED OUT. I JUST COULDN’T BELIEVE. LIKE THE TALENT IN THE ROOM AS WELL. THERE’S TEN PEOPLE WHO ALL ARE DOING THE SAME EXACT THING AS YOU. THIS WEEK SHE MADE IT TO THE TOP FOUR. I ALSO LIKE MAKING DESSERTS THAT ARE VERY RELATABLE, LIKE YOUR GRANDMA MADE THAT. AND THEN YOU TAKE A BITE OF MINE AND IT’S EQUALLY AS GOOD. LIKE WHAT’S BASICALLY A GIANT FERRERO ROCHER CHOCOLATE AND THE RAINBOW LAYER CAKE WITH CEREAL MILK GANACHE. AND SHE LEVELS UP THE BORING AND UBIQUITOUS CREME BRULEE INTO CREME BRULEE CHEESE CAKE. SO HOW DO I JUDGE HER? STRAWBERRY PRETZEL SALAD, PACKAGED NAILS IT. IT’S SUMMER. IT’S PITTSBURGH. IT’S LIKE SALTY, SWEET. YOU GET THE CREAMINESS, THE PUNCH OF THE FRESH STRAWBERRY. I FEEL LIKE I’M AT A FAMILY REUNION. YEAH. WITH ALL OF
Advertisem*nt
Pittsburgh pastry chef becomes a finalist in Food Network's 'Summer Baking Championship'
Zoe Peckich, who went to Canon-McMillan High School, is a pastry chef at Ritual House and was previously with Monterey Bay Fish Grotto.
Canonsburg native Zoe Peckich is a finalist in season 1 of the Food Network show "Summer Baking Championship" and competing against three other bakers for a $25,000 grand prize.Peckich graduated from Canon-McMillan High School and currently lives in Mount Washington. She works as a pastry chef at Ritual House in downtown Pittsburgh, and prior to that was at Monterey Bay Fish Grotto.Peckich says the Food Network reached out to Monterey Bay in hopes that she would audition for the show. "Summer Baking Championship" is the network's most recent franchise expansion of the channel's competition series.After a number of auditions and interviews, Peckich received news that she would be one of 10 bakers in the country chosen to compete."I mean, I was a little girl watching the Food Network and was like, 'Mom, one day I hope and pray I'll be on there one day,' and it's just super full circle that I even made it this far in the competition," Peckich said.The pastry chef hosted Pittsburgh's Action News 4 anchor Shannon Perrine at The Ritual House, which is open to visitors seeking to judge Peckich's creations for themselves. While there, Peckich offered a few desserts to taste.Watch the video above to hear from Zoe Peckich on her journey and Shannon Perrine's review of the chef's desserts.
PITTSBURGH —
Canonsburg native Zoe Peckich is a finalist in season 1 of the Food Network show "Summer Baking Championship" and competing against three other bakers for a $25,000 grand prize.
Peckich graduated from Canon-McMillan High School and currently lives in Mount Washington. She works as a pastry chef at Ritual House in downtown Pittsburgh, and prior to that was at Monterey Bay Fish Grotto.
Advertisem*nt
Peckich says the Food Network reached out to Monterey Bay in hopes that she would audition for the show. "Summer Baking Championship" is the network's most recent franchise expansion of the channel's competition series.
After a number of auditions and interviews, Peckich received news that she would be one of 10 bakers in the country chosen to compete.
"I mean, I was a little girl watching the Food Network and was like, 'Mom, one day I hope and pray I'll be on there one day,' and it's just super full circle that I even made it this far in the competition," Peckich said.
The pastry chef hosted Pittsburgh's Action News 4 anchor Shannon Perrine at The Ritual House, which is open to visitors seeking to judge Peckich's creations for themselves. While there, Peckich offered a few desserts to taste.
Watch the video above to hear from Zoe Peckich on her journey and Shannon Perrine's review of the chef's desserts.
Big changes coming to Galley Bakery Square eatery
Remembering Lou Pappan: Pittsburgh restaurant founder leaves legacy across the region
