Extraordinary Desserts

Karen Krasne, Owner & Executive Pastry Chef 

Karen Krasne is the Owner and Executive Pastry Chef of Extraordinary Desserts, San Diego’s landmark dessert destination. Known as the “Queen of Cakes”, Karen is responsible for establishing a local pastry institution that now includes two full service bakery restaurants, where her showstopping cakes and exquisite desserts have seduced San Diegans and set the standard for special events and weddings for over three decades. Her influence continues to expand through her best-selling book Extraordinary Cakes: Recipes for Bold and Sophisticated Desserts (2011), now in its third print. Delivery of Extraordinary Desserts’ brand of gourmet food products and branded gear are available online to ship nationally.

An industry veteran with over 30 years’ experience, Karen was a featured dessert chef at the James Beard House and trained with French masters at the Cordon Bleu, LeNôtre, Valrhona, Pierre Hermé, and Bellouet Conseil. Karen and her cakes have graced the covers and TV screens of many national and international media outlets, and has been recognized as one of the country’s ten best pastry chefs by Forbes.

Karen’s earliest memories in the kitchen are with her mother, grandmother, and aunts baking Hungarian style coffee cakes, strudels, cookies, and apple dumplings. While Karen grew up surrounded by strong, creative female bakers, it was not until her college years that she realized her passion for baking would also become her legacy. After studying Food Science & Human Nutrition at the University of Hawai’i, Karen jetted off to Paris to study pastry with French masters, something that she continues to do.

A San Diego native, Karen brought her experience back to her hometown where she built a reputation for creating wedding cake designs and providing delicious and elegant desserts to the top restaurants in the city. She built her first patisserie location over 30 years ago, which became a landmark. There are now two locations that feature both savory and sweet menu items along with coffees, teas, fine wines, bubbles, and craft beers. 

A true pastry artist, when Karen is not whipping up mouthwatering creations dusted with edible gold leaf and fresh florals, you can find her unwinding on a yoga mat or traveling for inspiration.