The spiky platinum blond hair distinguishes Elizabeth Falkner in a crowd; but it’s the creativity that distinguishes her, and that drives and defines her pastry. The award-winning, industry-leading pastry chef began making a name for herself and her clever, often quirky pastry artistry even before she opened her first patisserie/restaurant, Citizen Cake, in San Francisco.

A graduate of the San Francisco Art Institute with filmmaking dreams, Falkner actually found her calling in the world of pastry. But that didn’t stop her from plying her creativity to its fullest and allowing all influences—including film—to shape her perspective. And as her career advanced, so did her perspective, and it got her work and recognition in the industry. From the pastry department at Masa’s under Julian Serrano, to head pastry chef at Elka, Falkner went on to open Rubicon with Traci Des Jardins.

Recognizing the need for a contemporary pastry shop in the Bay Area, Falkner opened Citizen Cake (a nod to Orson Welles) in 1997. Beyond a move to the Pacific Heights neighborhood, Citizen Cake has remained a mainstay of Falkner’s innovation, setting the standard for distinctive, modern sweets—and adding a full savory menu for good measure. At her second restaurant, Orson (opened in 2008), Falkner blurs the lines between sweet and savory, exploring familiar and iconic dishes with her characteristic flair.

And even as fame and recognition follow her throughout her career from the Michelin Guide to Women Chefs & Restaurateurs (who awarded Falkner their Golden Bowl for Pastry in 2003), the pastry chef has maintained an active involvement in social justice, childhood nutrition, and human rights in the San Francisco community.