Nine of America's elite professional bakers gather to begin the first in a series of fourteen Skills and Master Challenges designed to test the limits of their baking mastery. Host Scott Conant announces that in the first Skills Challenge the bakers are tasked with baking perfect Petit Fours. In the Master Challenge the bakers must create a mind-bending cake for fifty people using vanilla as the featured flavor. After judging and deliberation with judges Jason Smith, Marcela Valladolid and guest judge Gemma Stafford, one baker is eliminated.

Perfect Strawberry Shortcake is the challenge that the seven remaining bakers face in this week's Skills Challenge. In the Master Challenge the bakers must create a "Fire and Ice" Dessert including a frozen and a brûléed element, including mint as the featured flavor. Guest judge and acclaimed pastry chef Sherry Yardjoins Jason Smith and Marcela Valladolid to judge the Master Challenge. One baker is given their marching orders.