Attention, aspiring pastry chefs. One of the best in the business, master baker Alex Peña, is coming to the capital of pan dulce with instruction, excitement and a story.
As a young boy in his parents’ California bakery, Peña filled in for an absent employee. His first attempt at making Mexican sweet bread was a disaster.
“I made the worst conchas you’ve ever seen,” he said.
Peña learned from his mistakes and eventually rose to head pastry chef in the kitchen. He attended Le Cordon Bleu, became a master baker and authored “The Mexican Bakery,” a comprehensive cookbook and guide to Mexican pan dulce.
On Saturday and Sunday, Peña will teach pan dulce classes at The Bake Lab, a northeast side learning center offering instruction in baking, caking decorating and specialized pastry arts.
“It will be a hands-on workshop for two days with in-depth instruction on modern pan dulce techniques,” said Melissa Johnson, vice president of The Bake Lab and Over The Top Cake Supplies, a baking and decorating supplier. “We have two pastry arts professors coming from Corpus Christi to learn and take their knowledge back to Del Mar College. A couple of students are opening bakeries. Others are coming to learn for personal use.”
Saturday classes have sold out. Sunday classes begin at 10 a.m., end at 4 p.m. and are open to the public. The cost is $400. To register, click here.
Peña will break down the science and techniques behind the baking of conchas, chilindrinas, volcanes, nubes, cuernos, elotes, cuernitos, troncos, alamares, chamucos and empanadas.
“We’re looking at students who have signed up with different levels of experience,” Peña said.
“I want to make sure everyone leaves the class with the knowledge to make these breads at home. I want to cultivate a big network. San Antonio is not just another stop on the map. It’s a city with deep Mexican roots. I’m from Los Angeles, which has many of the same parallels.”
Peña grew up in Cypress Park, a neighborhood in Northeast Los Angeles, working in the family bakery, La Morenita. After his initial failure with conchas — “I was 12 or 13-years-old,” he said — Peña was driven to learn traditional Mexican and Central American baking.
He learned the formal techniques of French cuisine at Le Cordon Bleu, then worked as a catering chef and a researcher.
Today, Peña directs product development at Bellarise, a supplier of bakery ingredients, and creates solutions as a bread scientist for companies around the world.
He will sign copies of his book on Friday at The Bake Lab, from 4-6 p.m. and on Saturday from 4:30-6:30 p.m. The book signing is free. Copies will be available for sale.
Kevin Johnson, Melissa’s husband, co-founded Johnson Bros. Bakery Supply in 1994. From that company Over The Top Cake Supplies emerged, followed by The Bake Lab in 2025.
While attending an International Baking Industry Exposition in Las Vegas last year, Kevin Johnson met Peña. A connection formed. An invitation to teach was extended.
“San Antonio is the pan dulce capital, right?” Peña said. “So I’m excited to be part of that community. It’s a great feeling to know the deep Mexican roots are there. And to have the opportunity to plant the seeds to continue those traditions.”