Best Baker In America - General Discussion

[Rickster]

Maybe the sugarwork would have tied the two parts of Joshua’s cake together, but it was a strange creative misfire on his part. I also thought his brownies were a bit too conservatively done.

A surprising result, but I couldn’t argue with it.

I thought FN did a good job with this series. While I might have liked different judges, I thought overall they did a good job in their evaluations. No wacky twists. I hope FN learns something from this.

Edited June 25, 2019 by Rickster

[Kohola3]

I am sick to death of Jason's stupid cornpone remarks and calling everybody honey. If he's a judge again, I'm done watching. I mostly muted anything he was saying anyway but he was really getting on my last nerve. I'm not sure why he's a judge at all.

[laredhead]

GaT, until I realized I could set my DVR to end shows up to an hour after the scheduled end time, I used to miss the endings of some episodes as well.  Check your DVR settings for that feature.

I'm glad Eric won.  He managed to include all of the required elements, and the cake looked like a birthday cake for the USA.  Eric looks like the type of baker who would be happy making a child's birthday cake, or a sophisticated wedding cake.  I thought I would be happy if any of the 3 had won, but after they announced Eric was the winner, I realized I had really wanted him to win all along.

[luvapickle]

I'm happy my mustache boy won(those mustaches take me back to a kid watching Rollie Fingers pitch in front of me). I thought they were all great.  Jeffrey was good, but he sure wanted to go his own way with things.  Joshua seemed flustered the whole time on this episode. But I knew when they all had a few misses in taste, it would come down to decoration.

[Rammchick]

Food Network broadcast the win at the beginning of the episode, in a sense.  Both Joshua and Jeffrey were bragging about how many contests they'd won and how good they were, and Eric was much more humble.  It was clear that one or both of the two "favorites" was not going to make it.  Congratulations to Eric, but sorry to say, I'm glad to have Jason off my TV now.

[dleighg]

1 hour ago, laredhead said:

GaT, until I realized

what is this "GaT"?

I keep feeling old.

[Rickster]

6 minutes ago, dleighg said:

what is this "GaT"?

I keep feeling old.

GaT is a fellow poster (see the previous page)

[ruffy666]

I definitely didn't see that coming!  Good for Eric, his final cake was adorable.  I was pretty impressed by Jeffrey's cake because the chocolate work really gave it a cool, firework-y sense of movement.  I'm thinkin his cake would've been received much more warmly if he'd done something as simple as a white mirror glaze instead of the dark brown/black he chose.

When they all bit into Joshua's macaron and there was an insanely loud CRUNCH I knew he was done for.  A good macaron is a gift, but a bad macaron is worse than eating nothing at all.

[dewelar]

I wasn't really into this season. The challenges were a bit off, the judging was odd, and while I like Jason his shtick seemed much more forced this season. His sayings seemed to flow much more naturally in the past, but now it really seems like he's doing them because the producers want him to do them. It's been kind of sad to watch, and if I'm right, I hope the producers let Jason be what Jason wants to be going forward.

Oh, who am I kidding? FN wants their personalities in their boxes, and if you stray too far they WILL cut you. *sigh*

That said, this finale was worth the missteps of the rest of the season. All the cakes looked great, and even if Joshua and Jeffrey (got it right that time :D) had outshone him to a degree over the course of the season, Eric deserved that win. I knew it was coming when they only thing they brought up during the final review was that it wasn't big enough, and when it did I pumped my fist a little.

Has anyone heard what's going to fill this slot over the summer? Last year I know they did another cycle of the Kids' Baking Championship, but I don't remember seeing any promos for anything this time around.

[Rickster]

18 minutes ago, dewelar said:

Has anyone heard what's going to fill this slot over the summer? Last year I know they did another cycle of the Kids' Baking Championship, but I don't remember seeing any promos for anything this time around.

“Worst Bakers in America” (with Jason) is going into this slot in a few weeks.

[CoolMom]

On 6/14/2019 at 9:41 PM, Irlandesa said:

Making it worse is that they gave them the challenge but not the time to do it properly.  On the wedding cake show that comes after, I think they're given five hours to complete their cakes.  Here, I believe they said they got 2 and a half hours.

I think traditionally on this show they've been given enough time to complete the challenge before the bakers.  For some reason that wasn't the case with this challenge, 2.5 hours was not enough time to complete a cake that "embodied" the characters they were given.  Even the Little Bo Peep cake which was nice wasn't as well executed as we've seen these bakers do on previous episodes.  The judges also commented that Forkie (is that right) wasn't dry enough and was cracking.  That was due to TIME not skill. 

I wonder if someone in production made a mistake in the timing because as a whole this show like the British Baking Show has given proper time allowances for what they are asking the bakers to create.  This is one of the things I enjoy about this show vs other American shows because we get to see well done completed creations.

[LittleIggy]

11 hours ago, GaT said:

Wow, they really cut it close on the ending. Scott said "Eric", Eric said "what?" & my recording ended. You would think they would cut back on some of the talk just to make sure they could properly end the competition in the time allowed.

Your recording cut off a few minutes early. They showed Eric getting hugs from the judges.

[GaT]

16 minutes ago, LittleIggy said:

Your recording cut off a few minutes early. They showed Eric getting hugs from the judges.

I recorded Wedding Cake Championship right after it, & the last few minutes were there, so I guess they took away some time from that show.

[Ilovecomputers]

Glad Eric won, but his fireworks looked like broken condoms to me. I’ve seen macarons on other baking shows and they’ve seemed smaller. The ones last night looked as big as burgers. The guy from Boston—it was his championship to win.  He caved under the pressure. Can we not call it “Best Baker in America”?  Some of the best bakers I know can’t be away from home and work to participate on a reality show. It’s like my Uncle Jason used to say:  “Why, if everyone could be on TV, we’s be as happy as two crawdads on a biscuit o’ butter.”  

[jcbrown]

I'm glad Eric won. He seems like such a nice guy (they all did but I found Eric's humility endearing). I was pulling for Joshua and thought Eric would come in third. They had a watch party for the finale last night at the Four Seasons in East Palo Alto where Eric works. Nice to see the local boy make good. 

Edited June 25, 2019 by jcbrown

[Ms Lark]

Ended well. I figured Joshua would win, but I was just as happy for Eric. All three contestants were worthy competitors, which is refreshing.

Well, gotta have a Jason-bash finale: his favorite parts were the pop-rocks and potato chips. And there's his palate. So sophisticated and refined.

52 minutes ago, Ilovecomputers said:

It’s like my Uncle Jason used to say:  “Why, if everyone could be on TV, we’s be as happy as two crawdads on a biscuit o’ butter.”  

Them crawdads ain't happy, they's dead.

[needschocolate]

5 hours ago, dewelar said:

I wasn't really into this season. The challenges were a bit off, the judging was odd, and while I like Jason his shtick seemed much more forced this season. His sayings seemed to flow much more naturally in the past, but now it really seems like he's doing them because the producers want him to do them. It's been kind of sad to watch, and if I'm right, I hope the producers let Jason be what Jason wants to be going forward.

I felt like Jason was running out of his cutsie sayings and was making stuff up on the fly. Some of what he said made no sense.  

[Jesse]

Ugh, I'm so sad for Joshua! (Because I think I know him because I work near him and see him on the street sometimes.) I agree that Eric won the final challenge, but I wish they had judged more on the season! Pretty sure Josh choked at the final challenge of his other show, too. 

[tinderbox]

The ending surprised me.  I thought Joshua would win especially if the judges took the entire season into consideration.  

Congratulations to Eric.

[Jaded]

Congrats to Eric. Out of the final three and their final results I'm glad he won.

This season almost felt like a Best Baker/Baking Championship hybrid. The time constraints for their final task made no sense at all as others have mentioned.

I liked Jason in the moments where he wasn't as heavy handed with the euphemisms. FN seems to like to keep their homegrown "stars" in character so he could be just as tired of having to use his annoying sayings as we are of hearing them.

[Deskisamess]

On 6/25/2019 at 8:40 AM, Kohola3 said:

I am sick to death of Jason's stupid cornpone remarks and calling everybody honey. If he's a judge again, I'm done watching. I mostly muted anything he was saying anyway but he was really getting on my last nerve. I'm not sure why he's a judge at all.

I haven't been posting on this forum, but have been watching the show. I have to agree with your comments about Jason, he pretty much ruined the show for me. 

The show itself seems so forced and contrived. They are trying, I think, to copy the well-produced British Baking show, but failing miserably. Jason for me is the final nail in the coffin. I won't be watching next season if he is still a judge.

Tara and Johnny Weird are also a pair I won't watch. Gah.

[Enigma X]

I dislike Jason but not the show is why I watch. Jason is like a bad character (caricature) on a semi descent show for me.

I liked all of the final contestants but am happy with Eric’s win.

[suebee12]

29 minutes ago, Enigma X said:

I dislike Jason

The Food Network is almost certainly why he is so overdoing the "southern". What I find surprising is  how much everyone seems to dislike him now.....he was such a favorite when he was on the Holiday Baking Championship show. I went back to read some of  the comments and it started out with folks not liking his "southernisms" but after about halfway through, people were so impressed with his baking skills, they grew to like them. I think he really does know baking and what is entailed with the challenges. Hopefully the Food Network will stop pushing him to be so "southern".

[GeorgiaRai]

Jason makes me laugh.  To me, his humor is self-deprecating; he's purposely overdoing the stereotype and laughing at himself in a light-hearted way.  I liked Scott this time around and there was only 1 contestant that bugged (sour-faced Julie).  I hope they keep the same host & judges for future seasons. ("Rai. Party of one?!?") 

[springbarb]

23 hours ago, ruffy666 said:

 I was pretty impressed by Jeffrey's cake because the chocolate work really gave it a cool, firework-y sense of movement.  I'm thinkin his cake would've been received much more warmly if he'd done something as simple as a white mirror glaze instead of the dark brown/black he chose.

Yes! We were saying the same thing--it was just too dark. His chocolate work was AMAZING. I think Jeffrey's work tended to be too elevated for this show, if that makes sense. He's clearly amazing at what he does, but wants to make Art, which isn't necessarily what this show is looking for.

[MerBearHou]

20 minutes ago, GeorgiaRai said:

Jason makes me laugh.  To me, his humor is self-deprecating; he's purposely overdoing the stereotype and laughing at himself in a light-hearted way.  I liked Scott this time around and there was only 1 contestant that bugged (sour-faced Julie).  I hope they keep the same host & judges for future seasons. ("Rai. Party of one?!?") 

Count me in at your table, Rai!  I don't mind Jason one bit and like his good heart.  He does know baking -- I think it's just that his delivery doesn't sound as smart as he actually is about the craft.  Personally, Marcella is the one I prefer less but she doesn't make me turn off the show (I do skip whenever she is on The Kitchen re-runs -- her sing-song and uptalk voice drove me absolutely nuts).  Scott was a great host this season and is a great presence in the baking kitchen -- he calmed down the contestants and injected a nice touch of warm humor. 

[mlp]

19 minutes ago, MerBearHou said:

Marcella is the one I prefer less but she doesn't make me turn off the show

I like Jason also.  I do wish he'd turn down the corniness but I sort of see that as a running joke.  It doesn't bother me.  I have never liked Marcela but she redeemed herself with me somewhat during this show.  Maybe working around Jason has softened her a bit.  She didn't seem as impressed with herself as she usually does.  I liked Scott as host a lot better than I did last year.  And his clothes fit better.

[suebee12]

3 hours ago, mlp said:

I liked Scott as host a lot better than I did last year.  And his clothes fit better.

Oh, I forgot to mention...I am still laughing about Scott and the Ice Cream 'cycle! That was so funny watching him riding around.

And one other thing that I think hurt Jeffrey's cake....He had pastel pink and blue macarons. He just didn't get them to a full red and blue and you need that for the 4th of July!!!

[Guest]

Posts criticizing other members have been removed. Everyone is entitled to watch this show for whatever reason they want.

[Texasmom1970]

All three are amazingly talented. I am glad Eric won. My birthday is on the Fourth of July and I liked that he was so literal. I think the other two went too out of the box; but I can only speak for, myself. 

[dleighg]

Re: Eric-- I kept seeing his location as East Palo Alto. Now I went to Stanford (graduated 30 years ago) and E. Palo Alto was sort of a no-go zone. I had a lot of trouble even imagining a fancy restaurant there. Now there's the Four Seasons "Silicon Valley" (where he works).  $400 a night, apparently! Things have certainly changed in 30 years!

[jcbrown]

2 minutes ago, dleighg said:

Re: Eric-- I kept seeing his location as East Palo Alto. Now I went to Stanford (graduated 30 years ago) and E. Palo Alto was sort of a no-go zone. I had a lot of trouble even imagining a fancy restaurant there. Now there's the Four Seasons "Silicon Valley" (where he works).  $400 a night, apparently! Things have certainly changed in 30 years!

Definitely lots of change. East Palo Alto still has areas where you want to be careful but it has the Four Seasons and Ikea now, too.

I've never been in that Four Seasons but may have to look into eating there to try his work.

[Crs97]

Disappointed that Joshua didn’t win, but I thought Eric was a worthy competitor.  I thought those three were consistently the best.

I could never be a judge on this show because I hate fondant and I hate weird flavors.  Matcha tea?  Passionfruit?  No thank you.

[LennieBriscoe]

Jumping in to give props to Ms Lark for her awesome allusion to Stymie and his timeless observation:

[LennieBriscoe]

As a dear colleague used to say,  "The thing is, is...."

Everyone,  from host to contestants to judges,  on "Reality" shows eventually, if not immediately, becomes a "character." 

IMO,  Jason has fully embraced his and sometimes takes the path to "caricature." But because his "sayings" deliberately make impossible juxtapositions he makes me laugh! 

Edited June 27, 2019 by LennieBriscoe

[Spunkygal]

1 hour ago, LennieBriscoe said:

As a dear colleague used to say,  "The thing is, is...."

Everyone,  from host to contestants to judges,  on "Reality" shows eventually, if not immediately, becomes a "character." 

IMO,  Jason has fully embraced his and sometimes takes the path to "caricature." But because his "sayings" deliberately make impossible juxtapositions he makes me laugh! 

Me, too! When he said he was as happy as dog wearing a diamond collar, I looked at my dog and said “don’t get any ideas!” I’d rather watch Jason than have Sunny on The Kitchen scream at me with her mouth full.

[laredhead]

I don't mind Jason, and in fact, he reminds me a bit of an uncle of mine who used to say similar things all the times.  He had many different ways to express himself, and we would all laugh at his descriptive phrases.  Maybe it's more a southern thing, which is why he doesn't get under my skin (I'm from the south).  He knows exactly what he's doing, and is playing a part. 

[Ms Lark]

8 hours ago, LennieBriscoe said:

Jumping in to give props to Ms Lark for her awesome allusion to Stymie and his timeless observation:

 

Thanks Lennie, but I don't think it was me!

[40Love]

On 6/25/2019 at 5:47 PM, needschocolate said:

I felt like Jason was running out of his cutsie sayings and was making stuff up on the fly. Some of what he said made no sense. 

This right here! I agree NEEDCHOCOLATE. It's like not even he interested in his little sayings anymore. Must be in his contract that he has to say at least one per segment. But, he's totally struggling to come up with anything. Notice how he blows through them lately and doesn't even wait for someone to giggle. IMO he's over it too.

[jlc]

On 6/25/2019 at 12:21 PM, Rickster said:

“Worst Bakers in America” (with Jason) is going into this slot in a few weeks.

Is that true? Please tell me it isn't true. I think these "worst" shows are true scripted unreality!!! 

[CharlizeCat]

No, it's true. Starts in a few weeks.  I don't know if Jason is the host or one of the mentors.  The last time, the mentors were Duff and Lorraine Pascale. I would pay good money to watch Jason and Lorraine interact as competitors. She would either treat him with disdainful indifference the entire time or crack up at his lame sayings and totally roll with it. It's difficult to tell with that one. 

Edited June 30, 2019 by CharlizeCat

[Maverick]

The Worst Cooks / Baker shows don't have a host so Jason is a mentor.  I was kind of shocked when they teamed Jason up with Shin Min for that Christmas Wars show.  Shin Min basically ignored him.   I think Lorraine will have a similar vibe with him that she does with Nancy. 

[TVbitch]

It was the right top 3, but, for me, the other 2 deserved it more overall. Joshua definitely had too many glitches on the night for them to give it to him, but Jeffrey, having won the first challenge, they might have given it to him despite the questionable decoration. To be fair, none of them had great decoration for a July 4th cake, but each had good points to their decoration. Eric seemed more surprised than anybody that he won, so he clearly agrees with me. 

And seriously, these guys get these challenges ahead of time, so did none of them (or their families) look at their designs and go... ya know, maybe this is not the best idea. 

Y'all might enjoy the UK's "Bake Off: The Professionals". It's all desserts, no cornpone, and the judges are highly qualified. Having said that, the time constraints make for a lot of unfinished bakes. 

[suebee12]

Not Best Baker in America, but did anyone see the Beach Bake Battle? Heat, humidity, rain, sand....what more could you want for a baking show? It was on at 2 o'clock central and was listed as Season 1, Ep 1 but when it was over it sounded as though it was a one and done show, so who knows. Actually the cakes were pretty good considering but still, bake on the beach????

[mlp]

29 minutes ago, suebee12 said:

did anyone see the Beach Bake Battle?

I saw it a couple weeks ago and thought it was fairly ridiculous.  Making the wedding cake contestants bake and decorate in a tent in heat and humidity was bad enough and this one throws in wind and rain and sand.  I wonder who came up with that brilliant concept for a show?  

I agree that a couple of the cakes, especially the one that won, were good.  I can't say I was crazy about the judges.  The male was a finalist on Best Baker in America a couple seasons ago and I thought he was arrogant then.  I can't think of his name right now, something like Theron but that's not right.  He was originally from Brazil as I recall.

[suebee12]

Just saw that someone posted about the Baking on the Beach show on the Wedding Cake Championship thread and included a short video about it where you can see the cakes that were made so I found the video...Want to watch?

[Guest]

Please keep your comments in this thread limited to Best Baker in America. Currently, there has been no forum started for Beach Bake Battle. If anyone would like to request a forum for that show, it can be done so here.

[Spunkygal]

Show returns on May 3!

https://www.wnypapers.com/news/article/current/2021/04/06/146122/carla-hall-hosts-return-of-food-networks-best-baker-in-america

Edited April 7, 2021 by Spunkygal

[Irlandesa]

2 hours ago, Spunkygal said:

Show returns on May 3!

https://www.wnypapers.com/news/article/current/2021/04/06/146122/carla-hall-hosts-return-of-food-networks-best-baker-in-america

This is great news!  I thought this show was done.  I think Carla Hall will be a better host than Scott.  And more importantly, Gesine Prado takes over for Marcella Valladolid.  Gesine is probably my favorite Food Network host/personality.  I still miss her show. I am looking forward to the threesome.

[Rammchick]

6 hours ago, Spunkygal said:

Show returns on May 3!

https://www.wnypapers.com/news/article/current/2021/04/06/146122/carla-hall-hosts-return-of-food-networks-best-baker-in-america

I figured for sure this show was going to transfer over to Discovery+.  Yay!