Top Chef Just Desserts returns for Season 2 on the Bravo Network on Aug. 24 when 14 pastry chefs will see if they have what it takes to outbake, outblend, and outbrulee the competition where the main focus is the Achilles heel of most chefs: desserts. Gail Simmons returns as the host of this highly competitive series showcasing the best of the best in the world of pastry arts. Once again joining the judges' panel as head judge is Johnny Iuzzini, one of the country’s most celebrated and innovative pastry chefs and Executive Pastry Chef at Restaurant Jean Georges. Hubert Keller, critically acclaimed chef as well as guest judge on Top Chef and finalist on Top Chef Masters, and Dannielle Kyrillos, entertaining expert and Contributing Editor of Food Republic will also serve as regular judges for the series.   

Top Chef Just Desserts features 14 chef'testants who will be whittled down week by week as they compete to out-bake their competition. The winning chef will receive $100,000 furnished by KitchenAid, a feature in Food & Wine magazine and a showcase at the Annual Food & Wine Cayman Cookout. The chefs must face off in some of the most difficult and creative challenges we’ve seen thus far – from fairytale showpieces and edible room décor to high-class gingerbread houses and carnival delights -- all while serving up these treats to some celebrity guest judges including: Beastie Boys’ Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz, the cast of Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, renowned Pastry Chef Francois Payard, and acclaimed chef Cat Cora among others.

The series offers a fascinating window into the competitive, pressure-filled environment of pastry chefs at the highest level. Each episode holds two challenges for the pastry chefs: the first, a Quickfire test of their basic abilities and the Elimination Challenge designed to test the versatility and inventiveness of the pastry chefs. These chefs will prove that a little sugar and spice never tasted so nice. 

The Season 2 contests are as follows:

Rebecca Masson
HOMETOWN: Laramie, WY
RESIDES: Houston, TX
PROFESSION: Pastry Chef/Owner of Fluff Bake Bar
CULINARY EDUCATION: Diplome de Patisserie, Le Cordon Bleu, Paris, France

Vanarin Kuch
HOMETOWN: Houston, TX
RESIDES:
PROFESSION:
CULINARY EDUCATION: AAS Culinary Arts at The Art Institute of Houston

Sally Camacho
HOMETOWN: Los Angeles, CA
RESIDES: Los Angeles, CA
PROFESSION: Pastry Chef of WP24 a Wolfgang Puck Restaurant at the Ritz Carlton, Los Angeles
CULINARY EDUCATION: A.O.S Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry Program, California Culinary Academy

Orlando Santos
HOMETOWN: St. Croix, US Virgin Islands
RESIDES: Pittsburgh, PA
PROFESSION: Owner/Pastry Chef of Orlando's Chocolate Treasures
CULINARY EDUCATION: Johnson & Wales University, North Miami, FL

Nelson Paz
HOMETOWN: Buenos Aires, Argentina
RESIDES: Houston, TX
PROFESSION: Executive Pastry Chef, Mandarin Oriental, Boston
CULINARY EDUCATION: Profesional Gastronómico, I.A.G

Melissa Camacho
HOMETOWN: Port-au-Prince, Haiti
RESIDES: New York, NY
PROFESSION: Pastry Chef, ilili
CULINARY EDUCATION: Institute of Culinary Education

Megan Ketover
HOMETOWN: Cincinnati, OH
RESIDES: Cincinnati,OH
PROFESSION: Pastry Chef, Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza
CULINARY EDUCATION: AAB, Midwest Culinary Institute

Matthew Petersen
HOMETOWN: Dublin, PA
RESIDES: Arlington, VA
PROFESSION: Executive Pastry Chef, CityZen and Sou'Wester at the Mandarin Oriental in Washington, D.C.
CULINARY EDUCATION: A.O.S Baking and Pastry, Johnson and Wales

Lina Biancamano
HOMETOWN: Phoenix, AZ
RESIDES: Ft. Worth, TX
PROFESSION: Executive Pastry Chef, Stephan Pyles
CULINARY EDUCATION: A.O.S. Culinary Arts, Le Cordon Bleu

Katzie Guy-Hamilton
HOMETOWN: Worcester, MA
RESIDES: New York, NY
PROFESSION: Executive Pastry Chef, New York Central at the Grand Hyatt New York
CULINARY EDUCATION: French Culinary Institute

Craig Poirier
HOMETOWN: Derry, NH
RESIDES: Las Vegas, NV
PROFESSION: Pastry Chef at Holsteins in the Cosmopolitan
CULINARY EDUCATION: Notter School of Pastry Arts

Chris Hanmer
HOMETOWN: Costa Mesa, CA
RESIDES: Las Vegas, NV
PROFESSION: Owner of The School of Pastry Design
CULINARY EDUCATION: Culinary Certificate from Orange Coast College, CA

Carlos Enriquez
HOMETOWN: Los Angeles, CA
RESIDES: Las Vegas, NV
PROFESSION: Pastry Chef at Holsteins in the Cosmopolitan
CULINARY EDUCATION:

Amanda Rockman
HOMETOWN: Katy, TX
RESIDES: Chicago, IL
PROFESSION: Executive Pastry Chef, The Bristol and Balena 

CULINARY EDUCATION: A.O.S Pastry and Baking Arts, C.I.A