About Rebecca Masson

Rebecca Masson is the founder, owner and pastry chef of Fluff Bake Bar, one of the South's most celebrated independent bakeries. Since founding Fluff in 2011, she has spent the last fifteen years building a bakery known for inventive pastries, wildly popular Saturday morning specials and a playful approach to dessert that blends classical French technique with nostalgia, curiosity and just enough chaos to keep things interesting.

A Wyoming native, Rebecca took a leap of faith in 1999 when she enrolled at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. She went on to earn a coveted internship at the legendary Le Bristol Hotel, where she trained under acclaimed pastry chef Gilles Marchal and experienced firsthand the precision and discipline of Michelin-starred pastry kitchens.

After graduating, Rebecca built her career in New York City, working in celebrated restaurants including Restaurant Daniel and db Bistro Moderne before becoming executive pastry chef at The Red Cat and later opening pastry chef at BLT Prime. In 2007, she traded Manhattan for Houston, joining chef Ryan Pera to lead the pastry program at *17 Restaurant and the Sam Houston Hotel. Her desserts quickly earned a loyal following and the nickname "Houston's Sugar Fairy." Along the way, she was recognized as Best Pastry Chef by CultureMap and Best Bakery by My Table magazine and collaborated with many of Houston's most respected chefs and restaurateurs, including Chris Shepherd, Charles Clark and Claire Smith.

Many people were introduced to Rebecca through her appearance on Top Chef: Just Desserts, where she competed with a broken arm and still fought her way more than halfway through the competition—a fitting glimpse of the determination that has defined her career.

In 2011, Rebecca opened Fluff Bake Bar with a simple idea: combine world-class pastry technique with a healthy dose of nostalgia, humor and just enough chaos to keep things interesting. Fifteen years later, Fluff has become one of the South's most celebrated independent bakeries, known for constantly evolving menus, creative collaborations with chefs and desserts that are both technically refined and unmistakably fun.

More than a bakery, Fluff has become a gathering place for Houston's food community—a place where pastry, collaboration and a healthy sense of humor are always on the menu. Whether it's a perfectly laminated croissant, an over-the-top cinnamon roll or an unexpected Saturday morning special, Rebecca believes great pastry should surprise people as much as it delights them.

Rebecca's work has been recognized by Southern Living, which named Fluff Bake Bar one of the South's Best Bakeries, and has been featured in Food & Wine, Bon Appétit, Texas Monthly, Saveur, the Houston Chronicle, Time Out, CultureMap, and numerous other local and national publications.

Beyond the bakery, Rebecca is a passionate supporter of the hospitality community and organizations working to end childhood hunger. She regularly lends her time and talents to events benefiting Southern Smoke Foundation and No Kid Hungry, believing that food has the power to bring people together both inside and outside the kitchen.

Fifteen years after opening Fluff Bake Bar, Rebecca remains driven by the same belief that brought her to Houston: that the best bakeries don't simply feed people—they become part of the fabric of a community. Whether she's developing the next pastry, collaborating with fellow chefs or baking to support causes she believes in, she's still happiest when she's making something that brings people together.