Wall of Bakers:
3 Judges You Knead to Meet
Image courtesy of Food Network Canada
If you loved Wall of Chef, you will most definitely be interested in watching Wall of Bakers on Food Network Canada!
This exciting new show proposes a sweet competition as they like to call it, where different Canadian Home bakers will have the opportunity to show off their skills.
“The winner takes it all” The best baker wins a $10,000 cash prize.
We had the opportunity to interview some of the judges who also shared their love of baking with us.
Chef Christine Cushing
Image courtesy of Food Network Canada
Why do you love baking?
I love baking because it is the perfect blend of science and creativity. It can test your stamina, challenge you, and bring you to your knees completely out of nowhere. Then one day, it can give you the greatest feeling of accomplishment that you actually created something magical with a few simple ingredients. It’s emotional and involves all the senses.
When did you start baking?
I fell in love with baking when I first got my hands on an Easy-Bake Oven, around the age of 8. That 6-Watt light bulb was pure magic. I would make the little vanilla cakes with the strawberry flecked icing for my 4-year-old brother. I can still remember us sliding them in one side and then being so excited to pull them out once they were just baked at the other end. Then I would proceed with the icing smear. Later in my teens, I started my baking journey in earnest, making apple pies, chocolate cakes and supplying a local restaurant with black forest cakes, around the age of 16. This unforgettable adventure involved many all-nighters – on school nights – with the kitchen left in a total disaster to my mom who had to deal with the cleaning, while I hurried off to the school the next morning.
Why is it important to get kids in the kitchen?
Bringing kids into the kitchen early is absolutely imperative. Firstly, it gives them a sense of purpose, belonging and contributing to the family unit. They start learning to work with all their senses and experiment. They will be more likely to try new foods if they have helped to prepare them. It’s also a great way to develop your confidence with small victories. I also felt that cooking got me through some difficult times; when my dad had a serious heart attack, cooking was what I would now identify as a meditation. I didn’t know it at the time.
Chef David Rousseau
Image courtesy of Food Network Canada
Why do you love baking?
When baking, I am only focusing on the moment, so I find it calming and I love the mindfulness that comes with it. With children, it is fun to see them using utensils and resisting (or not) the temptation to lick their sugary fingers in between steps. Baking is also an act of kindness and generosity; I enjoy sharing baked goods with my friends and family, and it is a good excuse to get together.
When did you start baking?
I started baking with my two grandmothers. One lived on a plot of land in the countryside and had access to what seemed to be every vegetable and fruit in the world! We would make crepes and melt chocolates, and she would teach me how to make simple recipes like jam using ingredients I would run and get from her garden. My other grandmother is the one who taught me how to make cherry clafoutis. This is such a simple delicious recipe. I remember staying by the oven window to watch the clafoutis rise and I’d count the seconds until it was ready to eat for my goûter (the name for the after-school snack ritual in France).
Why is it important to get kids in the kitchen?
Along with sneakily squeezing in some elements of mathematics (weight, additions, measurements, division, etc.) for your children to learn, getting acquainted with ingredients and how to use them has many benefits. It first opens the conversations about what is available and what is in season, and it also brings about the conversation on why getting local produce is a better option. Then comes talking about healthy choices. Doing all of this in a fun and creative environment will make kids so much more receptive. Involving kids in your kitchen – early or not – will have a lasting and positive impact on them.
Chef Jenna Hutchinson
Image courtesy of Food Network Canada
Why do you love baking?
I love baking because it gives you an opportunity to create something from nothing with your bare hands, and it gives so much room for creativity and artistic release.
When did you start baking?
I started baking with my mom, granny and baba in the kitchen when I was a young child. I have great memories baking with them as a child!
Why is it important to get kids in the kitchen?
It’s important to get kids in the kitchen because it teaches them such an important life skill, gets them comfortable in a kitchen, and can also give them creative freedom and expression that they can experiment with!
Wall of Bakers airs on Mondays beginning on March 28th at 10pm ET/PT on Food Network Canada. Watch the trailer here.