The 2024 edition of Netflix’ Baking Championship with Blue Ribbon brings together a group of state fair bakers to compete for the grand prize.
10 participants of the Baking Championship with Blue Ribbon will compete in a series of baking competitions and challenges to win a blue ribbon and the grand prize of $100,000.
The competition is hosted by Jason Biggs (American cake) and its judges include Sandra Lee, Bill Yosses and Bryan Ford.
Baking Championship with Blue Ribbon Premieres on Netflix on August 9th.
All the main characters of the Blue Ribbon Baking Championship
host
Jason Biggs
Instagram: @biggsjason
American cake Jason Biggs is the host of the Netflix series Blue ribbon baking championship.
Speaking to the New York Post, the actor talked about his entry into the series and noted: American cake helped him to get the job of presenter of the new competition series:
“This opportunity came up and I thought it was a great idea. Of course, there is also the obvious connection to baking from my early career.”
Biggs also reflected on his involvement in the series, pointing out that “It’s a lot of fun” throughout his experience:
“I think it’s a lot of fun. I definitely enjoyed winking at the camera sometimes and having some of those jokes… I also thought it was really cool that we brought in 10 incredible home bakers from all over the country… It’s fascinating to see how much talent there is across the country.”
Biggs is best known for his role as Jim in American cake Movies. The actor also starred in Inferior, The topicAnd Jay and Silent Bob reboot.
Judge
Sandra Lee
Instagram: @sandraleeonline
Sandra Lee, cookbook author and TV personality, is co-host and judge of Blue ribbon baking championship.
Lee is no stranger to the world of baking, having won a blue ribbon at the Los Angeles County Fair in 1992. As a TV personality, she has appeared on Food Network shows such as Semi-homemade cooking And Sandra’s money-saving meals.
In an interview with the Associated Press, Lee explained what sets the Blue Ribbon Baking Championship apart from other baking shows, citing factors such as camaraderie and a sense of family among the contestants:
“The camaraderie and sense of family among the participants. They lifted each other up. A lot of the bakers actually got out of their seats and helped each other out. I don’t think the world sees who we Americans really are. They hear the politics and the fuss on the news. I think it will be pretty amazing for viewers from other countries to see us and see what our fairs are like, what our lifestyle is like and how nice the people are.”
She also revealed that they filmed in real time:
“And – unlike other competition shows – we shoot in real time. There was no break and no next day resume. We shot 18 hours a day. There was no cool down or changeover.”
Bill Yosse
Instagram: @bill_yosses
Bill Yosses is a former White House pastry chef from 2007 to 2014 who brings his talent and expertise to Netflix’s latest baking show.
In addition to my work as a judge in Baking Championship with Blue RibbonYosses also played a role in selecting the winner of Hulu’s Baker’s dozen.
He is co-author of Dessert for Dummies And The perfect ending: special desserts for every occasionYosses is also the owner of Perfect Pie, a pastry shop in New York.
Bryan Ford
Instagram: @artisanbryan
Bryan Ford is an award-winning artisan bread baker who joins the series as one of the judges.
He is the author of New World Sourdough and moderator of Magnolia Networks Baked with tradition And The craftsman’s kitchen.
Ford also has a podcast with his wife Bridget Kenna called “The Flaky Biscuit Podcast.”
Participant
Eileen Gannon
Instagram: @bakewithileen
Eileen Gannon has won over 600 cooking competitions at the Iowa State Fair and statewide cooking contests across the state, and she’s ready to make a name for herself in Netflix’s newest competition series.
She is also the proud owner of her own company, Sunday Night Foods, a Des Moines-based maker of high-quality chocolate dessert sauces.
In Episode 1, Eileen admitted that the Baking Championship with Blue Ribbon is the biggest stage she has ever performed on.
Larry Kaiser
Originally from Long Island, New Yorker Larry is out to prove that he is at the top of the list of baking specialists. Baking Championship with Blue Ribbon.
A farmer with numerous accolades in the baking world, Larry says in Episode 1 that he doesn’t have to prove who he is to anyone, suggesting that he is confident in his chances.
He is the owner of 1760 Homestead Farm in Riverhead, New York.
Speaking to Northforker, Larry talked about his goals in participating in the competition and noted that he “Farming community at the eastern end of Long Island”:
“One is that I want to draw attention to the farm here and the work we do. Because the goal here is to preserve a part of the history of the North Fork. In that context, I wanted to represent the farming community on the east end of Long Island. I think I did those two things well, and for that simple reason, when you watch the show and see what I do, you’ll completely understand where my creativity came from.”
Katharina Cheng
Instagram: @itscatcheng
Catherine Cheng is an experienced baker who won the annual Queens Agricultural Fair at Queens County Farm, increasing her chances of a role in Netflix’s new baking series.
Cat, a former music teacher, said in Episode 1 that she gave up her teaching career to devote herself to baking full-time, and admitted that she “I fell head over heels in love with baking.”
Lois Szymanski Spruytte
Instagram: @loisbaker722
Lois Szymanski Spruytte, who hails from Richmond, Michigan, is one of the top 10 bakers in the Baking Championship with Blue Ribbon.
The 63-year-old nut company owner is a risk-taker who will do everything in her power to win everything in the baking series.
Felicia Dawn
Instagram: @justonebitecupcakes
Felicia Dawn enters the competition as a determined baker who is ready to give her all to win the grand prize and be crowned the best of the best.
The Rancho Cucamonga, California native believes she is one of the best bakers, but is surprised at how well her peers compare.
Felicia owns a cupcake bakery called Just One Bite Cupcakes and enjoys her family’s unwavering support of her passion.
Nathan Chandler
Instagram: @confectionsbakeryidaho
Nathan Chandler is an Idaho native and owner of Confections Bakery in Pocatello. His unique eye for design combined with his unique flair for creating irresistible flavors made him one of the competition’s standouts.
He is also a former Idaho State Fair winner, which led to his involvement in the Netflix baking series.
He also has experience participating in television competitions, as he is a former contestant in Food Networks Christmas Cookie Challenge in 2019.
Speaking to the Idaho State Journal, Nathan reflected on his journey in the series and described it as “very intimidating situation:”
“It’s a very intimidating situation to go into. It was very clear that everyone who was there knew what they were doing. What I enjoyed most about that situation was that everyone was so nice. I don’t want to say it wasn’t competitive, because there was $100,000 at stake. Everyone was there to compete, but everyone was just very helpful to each other.”
Jeff Bartolozzi
Instagram: @mr.bartolozzi
Jeff Bartolozzi is a lawyer and baker who won a blue ribbon at the 2019 Ohio State Fair. Outside of baking, the Cleveland native is part of a business law firm called Barnes & Thornburg.
In an interview with AXIOS, Jeff pointed out that participating in the Blue Ribbon Baking Championship “much more stressful than some of the cases (he) has worked on:”
“This baking show was a lot more stressful than some of the cases I’ve worked on… I didn’t have a nervous breakdown, I think, but there were definitely moments when you’re in the middle of the process.”
Jennifer Stoker
Instagram: @jennabel_5108
Jennifer Stoker is an aerospace engineer, a proud “Boy mom”, a Zumba instructor and a State Fair baking champion.
At times, Stoker is able to use her technical knowledge to her advantage during the competition, such as when she keeps the doughnut from falling off the stick during the first challenge.
Kim Thompson
Instagram: @kimmykakesrva
Kim Thompson, also known as Kimmy Kakes, joins her fellow State Fair winners to showcase her baking skills in the Baking Championship with Blue Ribbon.
Her specialty is baking pound cakes and her best cake to date is a cake topped with Jamaican rum sauce called “Welcome To Jam Rock”.
Kim was the first prize winner at the State Fair of Virginia for two consecutive years (2021 and 2022).
Ron Bronizki
Ron Bronitsky, 73, is a retired pulmonologist who uses his free time to bake all kinds of desserts.
He is also a singer and theater actor and has won several blue ribbons at the New Mexico State Fair.
Speaking to the ABQ Journal, Ron admitted that participating in the competition might “the craziest, craziest thing (he) ever did:”
“It’s the craziest, the craziest thing I’ve ever done. There were cameras everywhere. This is a multimillion-dollar spectacle. … It was at a state fair. So in the background there were all these rides and it was very long days.”
All episodes of Baking Championship with Blue Ribbon are now streaming on Netflix.
Read more about other baking and cooking shows:
Spring Baking Championship 2024 Cast: All Contestants, Judges and Hosts of Season 10
The Great British Baking Show: Holidays 2023 – Cast, Contestants, Judges and Host in Season 6 (Photos)
Holiday Baking Championship 2023 Season 10 Cast, Contestants, Judges and Host
