A New Religion of Pastry: Temple Pastries
In the Field with our CercleV Members: A Visit to Temple Pastries in Seattle
During a recent trip to Seattle, our team had the pleasure of visiting several members of our Cercle V community, passionate professionals who embody craftsmanship, creativity, and excellence in their own unique way. Among them was Temple Pastries, where we met the luminous Christina Wood, the talented pastry chef and owner behind @temple_pastries. Not only does she craft exquisite viennoiserie and refined desserts, she is also a newly named James Beard Pastry Chef Semi-Finalist and an author: a remarkable milestone that speaks to both her artistry and leadership in the pastry world. What began as a leap of faith has become one of Seattle’s most respected bakeries.
Christina’s pastry journey did not begin in culinary school, but at home. After graduating from the University of Florida with a business management degree, and realizing she had no interest in pursuing that path, she began teaching herself the fundamentals of baking. In 2015, she moved to Seattle sight unseen to seek work in a professional bakery setting. There, she refined her craft under two highly respected chefs: Chef William Leman at Bakery Nouveau and Chef James Miller at Café Besalu.
After gaining invaluable experience, Christina launched Temple Pastries in 2018 as a croissant pop-up concept. Her signature bicolor croissants and mousse-filled cruffins quickly developed a following, appearing at coffee shops, farmers’ markets, and through a growing wholesale network across Seattle and the Eastside.
When the pandemic hit, she made the difficult decision to pause operations. In October 2020, Temple Pastries reopened as a brick-and-mortar retail bakery, and has continued to thrive ever since.
"Pastry Became My New Religion"
The name Temple Pastries is deeply personal. Christina was raised in a religious household where life was structured around hard work and devotion. After leaving her faith in her twenties, she found herself searching for direction and belonging. When she discovered pastry, she found both. Pastry became her purpose, her new “religion.” Temple Pastries was born from that devotion.
That sense of commitment is reflected in every product leaving her kitchen.
Innovation, Seasonality, and Relentless Consistency
Temple Pastries stands apart through constant innovation. The menu changes four times per year, incorporating new croissant shapes, evolving techniques, and seasonal, locally sourced ingredients in distinctive ways. It is a living, breathing expression of creativity. Yet for Christina, what matters most is consistency. She speaks with pride about her team’s ability to uphold exacting standards day after day, achieving excellence not occasionally, but reliably. It is this balance of innovation and discipline that defines Temple Pastries and has earned her national recognition as a James Beard Pastry Chef Semi-Finalist.
Partnering with Valrhona
Christina began working with Valrhona in 2021. Her decision was driven by three core factors: the uncompromising quality of the chocolate, the depth of technical resources available for recipe development, and Valrhona’s commitment to direct relationships with farmers and responsible sourcing. For a chef whose work is rooted in integrity and excellence, these values matter.
Follow our visit with Christina Wood at Temple Pastries on Instagram @valrhonaUSA and experience the artistry firsthand.
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