Baking It Big | Essence Bakery and Chef Eugenia Theodosopoulos

Essence Bakery offers tempting staples like pies, tarts and comforting chicken pot pie, along with weekly specials that are always a surprise. The bakery’s excellent food is a result of a secret ingredient—award-winning Chef Eugenia Theodosopoulos’ passion. 

Theodosopoulos’ love for baking and delicious eats started at age 13, when she worked at her father’s locally famous eatery in Ohio, which dates back to 1931. Following her passion, Theodosopoulos moved to France to study and work at the renowned Ecole Lenôtre Paris, and then she started her own cooking school and catering company in Paris. 

Theodosopoulos has served foreign diplomats, embassies and international executives, and was inducted into the Arizona Culinary Hall of Fame and awarded Pastry Chef Extraordinaire. She opened Essence Bakery Cafe in Phoenix in 2007, and her talent was immediately recognized as it only took nine months to be named Best New Restaurant. 

“I still have so much to learn and countries to visit to experience more about baking,” Theodosopoulos says. “I continually challenge myself to make new products, recently I added cookies and cream croissants, Valrhona chocolate raspberry croissants and my favorite, lemon brioche feuilleté.”

The croissants are buttery, flaky and every layer of the dough beautifully visible. Need we say more?

The pastries, food and especially croissants continue to receive accolades and awards, and it’s no wonder. Next time you’re in Arcadia, stop by Essence Bakery Cafe and indulge in award-winning macarons, buttery pastries and comforting chicken pot pie.