Best Baker In America - General Discussion

[Ilovecomputers]

Is Adam the dark haired guy with glasses who runs a baker called "Mystic" or something?  I think he was on a past spring baking championship.

Ridiculous that they introduced Colonel Corndog as an expert.  I don't know who the woman judge is--I thought it was Leah Remini.

[Rammchick]

Agree that the hosting/judging of this show is way off.  I love Scott on Chopped, but he seems very wooden here.  I know that Marcella is a classically trained pastry chef and was co-host with Paul Hollywood on the disastrous American version of GBBO, yet she just doesn't come across as credible.  And the less said about Jason, the better.  Whoever nicknamed him Colonel Corndog got it on the nose, that's priceless.

[Rickster]

Adam runs a bake shop in Mystic, Connecticut.

The show would have been better served if Jason were the host and Scott  Conant a judge. Actually, I would just like to see any pair of qualified judges instead of these two.

i thought this was a pretty good set of contestants, but the wrong one of the bottom two went home.

[Koalagirl]

1 hour ago, Ilovecomputers said:

Is Adam the dark haired guy with glasses who runs a baker called "Mystic" or something?  I think he was on a past spring baking championship.

Ridiculous that they introduced Colonel Corndog as an expert.  I don't know who the woman judge is--I thought it was Leah Remini.

 I recognized Adam as well.   Is it a sign of watching too many of these shows when one begins to recognize the contestants?

[penbrat]

I liked all the contestants but am rooting for Adam.   I like Jason.  I find him likeable and funny.  However, I do not know if I would watch him cook on his own show.  I think he would wear on me after a while.

[dewelar]

2 hours ago, Rickster said:

i thought this was a pretty good set of contestants, but the wrong one of the bottom two went home.

Agreed that the talent level seems pretty high this season, but I'm torn on the result. The monster cake definitely looked like something a kid made out of Play-Doh, but at least it seemed to meet both aspects of the brief -- something that doesn't look like a cake, and is vanilla-forward. The other cake didn't seem to meet either one. As someone who often whinges about people who get a pass on not bothering to meet the challenge, I can't argue with this result, even if it means a far more talented baker may have been the one to go home. Either way, I doubt Lasheeda is going to make it much further. Kym was also fortunate that there were two people worse than her, because that pizza cake was not what I'd call up to snuff.

I also remember Adam on SBC last year, and liked him quite a bit then. It's early yet, but so far I like him, Jeremy and Leigh, while disliking Max and Frania (who's already gone). Everyone else hasn't registered enough with me.

[dleighg]

5 hours ago, Rickster said:

The show would have been better served if Jason were the host and Scott  Conant a judge

totally agree. Usually the host is more of a "character" on these shows; it seems a bit of a "come down" for Conant to have that role. And I can completely do without Jason's "witticisms." Give me a break. NOBODY really talks like that.

[mlp]

I have mixed feelings about this show.  On one hand, I very much like to see competent contestants with credentials in their field and I like to watch what they can do with more or less adequate time and no stupid twists.  On the other hand, it bothers me that the judges have poorer credentials and less experience than the contestants.  I like Jason Smith but he's a home baker and winning a FN show doesn't really compare to the awards and citations most of the others have.  I do not like Marcela because of her personal history but I could overlook that if she had a marvelous baking history which she doesn't despite her training in Paris.  I'd be happier if the judges "outranked" the contestants or, at least, were peers in the baking field.  

I'm not crazy about Scott Conant because of his huge ego.  However, he's hosting, not judging, so it doesn't really matter.  At least he's nice to look at.  

So far, I like Adam and the French fellow whose name I can't recall at the moment.  Jean-Louis?  I haven't seen enough of any of the rest of them to have a real opinion.  The snake cake that won was cool but it looked a lot less complex to my non-baker eyes than Adam's gorgeous cake and the one that was a concrete wall with flowers in a crack.  The monster cake was really cute but the fondant work was sloppy in parts.  I didn't like the pizza cake at all.

[dleighg]

5 minutes ago, mlp said:

On the other hand, it bothers me that the judges have poorer credentials and less experience than the contestants.  I like Jason Smith but he's a home baker and winning a FN show doesn't really compare to the awards and citations most of the others have.

totally agree. 

[Ms Lark]

8 hours ago, Rammchick said:

Marcella is a classically trained pastry chef and was co-host with Paul Hollywood

More than just a co-host! It was a scandalous affair of epic proportions (Hollywood was married).

[cheewhiz]

Oy. Sorry

thx

[Maverick]

22 hours ago, Christina said:

Scott Conant is a miss for me. He doesn't fit in as a host very well, but I can't spell out what it is about him that bugs. He doesn't take up much screen time, since they really pay attention to the bakers, as they should, so I'm hardly needing to fast forward or anything. 

 I find him to be condescending.  He was telling one of the bakers to reconsider something they were doing in that pompous tone of his and the guy look at him like 'whatev'.   I would have too.   It's bad enough when he pulls that shit on chefs on Chopped, but he's not a baker and has no business talking down to them.    

[Irlandesa]

I love this show. I preferred last year's host but overall I still love this show. 

It's nice to see people pretty much be allowed to attempt the challenge without any crazy interference.  I remember Adam from Spring Baking Championship but he never made anything that made me go "I want that!" the way his petit fours did.  (And I normally hate petit fours). 

I don't even mind that most of the contestants have a better pedigree than the judges.  But I do think last year's host helped elevate the judging portion. 

I'm so happy this is back.

[LittleIggy]

13 hours ago, penbrat said:

I liked all the contestants but am rooting for Adam.   I like Jason.  I find him likeable and funny.  However, I do not know if I would watch him cook on his own show.  I think he would wear on me after a while.

Lord honey, I like Jason, too. 

[40Love]

18 hours ago, Maverick said:

 I find him to be condescending.  He was telling one of the bakers to reconsider something they were doing in that pompous tone of his and the guy look at him like 'whatev'.   I would have too.   It's bad enough when he pulls that shit on chefs on Chopped, but he's not a baker and has no business talking down to them.  

Agreed... I wonder if the first host decided not to return to the show... or if some producer thought it would be better to have a celebrity chef as the host. The first host (can't remember his name) seemed to have so much more expertise. Scott seems like his lines are being fed to him while he's talking to the bakers. 

[Rammchick]

21 hours ago, Ms Lark said:

More than just a co-host! It was a scandalous affair of epic proportions (Hollywood was married).

Yep, although I don't think that necessarily adds to her professional credentials ;)

[Barb1959]

I hate Marcella's fake eyelashes....she looks like Betty Boop!

[susannot]

Adam's cake was spectacular.  The python cake was fun but Adam is clearly more skilled.

[tobeannounced]

I am loving this after suffering through the spring baking competition where there was no time to do anything well and stupid twists ruined a lot of the bakes.

[BoffoDaWonderSheep]

Jeremy was on Beat Bobby Flay (and I think he accomplished that task?). 

[Mahamid Frauded Me]

I would lick Scott Conant like icing on a spoon.... I wonder if he is a douche in real life ? 

[Destiny74]

I like Jason but only I limited run, small doses.  He's fine on this show, at least for me.

Scott comes off as an arrogant ass on Chopped so I have issues with him already.  That, and his suit was poorly fitted.  His vest needed to be longer to cover the bottom of his shirt.  He looked odd.

I think Marcella is a fine judge, I just read too much about the whole Hollywood scandal.  Paints her as trashy to me.

I like Adam on SBC.  He was trying to open his bakery back then, glad to see he's doing well.

The dude who won decorated a neat looking cake, and it was mind bending, at least more so than many of the others.  However, in his talking heads he came off as a jerky Miamian.  I don't like it when people overly identify with the city they are from.  He's from Miami so of course he's going to put coconut, lime, mango or guava in everything he makes. I have a feeling those flavors are prevelant in Miami but I am sure they eat chocolate, berries, cinnamon, and a host of other flavors that are not in the least bit tropical.  I hope I'm wrong about him and he doesn't rest on "I'm from Miami and we only use tropical flavors in our desserts."

I like this show because the baker's can just bake and not worry about adding hot dogs or ravioli or some other heinous ingrediant as a fun "twist".

Edited May 11, 2018 by Destiny74

[novhappy]

Just watched for first time. Great quality of contestants I’m looking forward to watching them bake. I didn’t see first season so hope that, as above poster said, they don’t do a bunch of weird twists. 

But the most glaring thing about the show is the ridiculously low quality of the judges! Wow!  An overdressed guy who won an amateur bake competition and a random overdressed FN host w borderline credentials. I wonder if the contestants knew who the judges would be?

what do they get if they win? Publicity for their business?  Are they all wanting to get tv careers out of it?

[Brookside]

Sorry, but the snake looked like a giant yellow turd to me.

And that concrete block thing?  I don't find grey cake appetizing looking.

But, yes, refreshingly low-key and straightforward.

[Chit Chat]

I rarely go to weddings, so I didn't know that wedding towers were a thing.  They didn't look that appetizing to me.   Just give me a piece of traditional wedding cake with a yummy filling and some delicious buttercream frosting and I'm happier than a pig in mud.  YMMV.   

[Grumpbump]

Good Lord, could Jason's neckwear have been more fussy and over the top? It actually distracted from his  extra bejeweled jacket. 

They are speeding through the challenges and barely focusing on anything.   Also how do those judges actually see the details on the master challenge entries when they are sitting 50 feet away?

[Jaded]

I like the bakers competing. Having said that I haven't enjoyed the tone of the show in these past two episodes compared to the first season. I was surprised they decided to do a 2nd one so soon. I guess if it continues it will be on twice a year?

I want to like Marcella since she seemed like a nice person on The Kitchen even though her annoying over pronunciations annoyed the hell out of me. I had never really watched her in much before that. She seems kinda snooty at times when playing her role as a judge on this show. 

Scott loves himself too much to seem fully invested in hosting this show so far. 

Jason can be annoying at times with the accent and sayings but he seems to be trying as a judge.   

Edited May 15, 2018 by Jaded

[LegalParrot81]

On 4/1/2018 at 3:26 AM, RealityCheck said:

Best Baker In America Season 2 Premieres Monday May 7th at 9PM

Scott Conant replaces Adam Rapoport as host.
 

Unlike season 1, only 2 chefs appeared previously on a FN competition show.  Kym DeLost was on "Beat Bobby Flay".  Lasheeda Perry was on "Sweet Genius".

Adam Young was on Spring Baking Championship, Season 3

[BusyOctober]

The tower things confused me...the bakers used styrofoam cones as supports.  They “glued” the macarons and cream puffs on it with caramel or sugar.  Is using a form traditional?  I made a croque en bouche in high school, and we just piled up the puffs with caramel glue, no form.  Plus, wouldn’t sticking all the pastries on styrofoam render them inedible?  How do you peel one off without leaving half of it on the cone? Or pull off some styrofoam with it?  Hardened caramel or sugar is pretty strong!

I don’t like champagne as a flavor. By the glass? Mais oui!  Maybe I just haven’t had really well baked pastries made with it.  I tried some kind of champagne mousse thing at a New Year’s party once, and meh.

[dewelar]

49 minutes ago, BusyOctober said:

The tower things confused me...the bakers used styrofoam cones as supports.

I wondered about this as well. The fact that Jean-Francois was (I think) the only one not to use a central support may very well have factored into his win. I also wonder if Max was saved from being in the bottom two by his win in the first challenge -- not that it mattered, because it was fairly obvious Kym would be going home the moment she burned her choux and had to redo it.

I admit to being a fan of Jason, and if anything he's dialed back his shtick considerably this season. It's too bad, because this show has felt so dry and stilted so far that I think it could use a little personality. I know the quality of the contestants is higher than the various Baking Championships, but I have to say I enjoyed watching those during this cycle a good deal more than I am enjoying this show. I also agree with those who dislike Scott Conant as host -- he just doesn't feel natural in the role (at least not yet), and it detracts from the show.

[mlp]

I noticed that the supports were visible in several of the towers.  None of the judges even mentioned it so it must not have been a glaring error although I'm not sure why.  I thought it was quite unattractive.  

Very few of the towers actually evoked "wedding" IMO.

[ruffy666]

Jason legitimately has charisma, I think, but once again the fun-sucking vampires from The Food Network rely on shtick above all else.  Just like on Food Network Star, once they've found your gimmick they want you to push it into the ground.  Oh, you lost a bunch of weight?  Oh your grandma died?  Oh you're the wacky, ambiguously (or not-so-ambiguously) gay guy from the south?  Be sure to reference it every few minutes so there's no chance we could ever possibly forget your BRAND.  bleh.

[Rickster]

9 hours ago, BusyOctober said:

The tower things confused me...the bakers used styrofoam cones as supports.  They “glued” the macarons and cream puffs on it with caramel or sugar.  Is using a form traditional?  I made a croque en bouche in high school, and we just piled up the puffs with caramel glue, no form.  Plus, wouldn’t sticking all the pastries on styrofoam render them inedible?  How do you peel one off without leaving half of it on the cone? Or pull off some styrofoam with it?  Hardened caramel or sugar is pretty strong!

 

I would have to re-watch the show and unfortunately I deleted it from my DVR, but I thought what was going on was that the bakers used the cones as a mold to form the towers around and were gluing the puffs to each other, not to the styrofoam. Then they removed the cones for presentation. I thought I saw at least a couple that seemed to be built that way.

[Ilovecomputers]

I like Jean-Francois and all things French, but I do have trouble understanding him at times.  Wish they had subtitles for him.  Monday's show was soooo boring.  Although the flavors of the mousse cakes sounded appealing, none of them looked very enticing.  One of them had layers of purple with pepto bismal pink.  Blech.  Like Chopped, it seems as if they don't give people enough time for things to bake or set or chill.  They keep showing commercials showing Martha Stewart as a new judge on Chopped.  Can't stand her smug self.  As others have mentioned, I thought the Styrofoam bases seemed amateurish--not in the league of the Best Baker in the Galaxy.  Jason seems to have run out of comments and critiques so he says, "Your sponge was a little dry" a lot.  Wish that girl would remove her nose ring.  When I see her in profile, I do a double-take because I think she has mucus hanging out.  I thought the spun sugar was a requirement but not everyone did it.  A little of that goes a long way.  One baker (I can't remember who) overdid it and it looked like clumps of pubic hair.  Who is in charge of wardrobe on this show?  Tell Scott to quit squeezing his large body into medium-sized clothes.  He looks bloated and uncomfortable.  Lasheeda (?) struggled again but still she remains...

[nowornever]

Quote

27 minutes ago, Ilovecomputers said:

Wish that girl would remove her nose ring.  When I see her in profile, I do a double-take because I think she has mucus hanging out.

 

YES!  At first I thought that it was mucous about to drip into her food!   Other than that, I do like her, though.  She seems to be very competent and even the concrete cake didn't bother me.  

Edited May 16, 2018 by nowornever

[Destiny74]

5 hours ago, Rickster said:

I would have to re-watch the show and unfortunately I deleted it from my DVR, but I thought what was going on was that the bakers used the cones as a mold to form the towers around and were gluing the puffs to each other, not to the styrofoam. Then they removed the cones for presentation. I thought I saw at least a couple that seemed to be built that way.

Nope.  Just watched the show and you could see styrofoam in almost all the finished products.

Especially with macarons.  They are so delicate that they would be ripped to shreds disengaging from the form.

If I were paying for one if these towers, I'd be pretty pissed if I could see the form at all.  Then again, I think if they had more time they would have been able to disengage the form and cover up the holes.

Seeing the form must not hav been a ding because I swear I saw the form on most, if not all, but Jean-Francois.

Edited May 16, 2018 by Destiny74

[dewelar]

1 hour ago, Destiny74 said:

Seeing the form must not hav been a ding because I swear I saw the form on most, if not all, but Jean-Francois.

I think that's exactly why they didn't mention it. If it had been one or two who left the form in place, it would have been a ding, but since all but one did so it wasn't. As I mentioned upthread, I think it was telling that the one who didn't leave it (and AFAICT didn't even use a form at all) is the one who won.

[Maya]

The vast majority of these people have no business being in a competition called “Best Baker in America.” I’m already assuming the French guy will be in the finale, although I’m surprised the judges didn’t comment on his giant “mini” mousse cakes. 

I will say Marcella looked very pretty this episode. 

[Jaded]

In the commercial they keep showing for this show that features Scott he says it's a "new show" and not a "new season". I guess FN is hoping viewers don't remember it was just on late last year?

[grisgris]

I'm really not warming up to Scott Conant as a host. I guess I am one of the rare few who doesn't find him that attractive or interesting. He used to be such a dick judge on "Chopped."  I think being on the other side of the judging table (and losing) more than once have taken him down a peg or two. As far as this particular show goes, at least last year, I don't remember Adam R. wandering around and asking the bakers questions about what they were doing. Scott moseys over to each table and tries to add some "helpful advice," which really isn't helpful at all, especially as he isn't a baker.

How can that French pastry chef keep a straight face having his work critiqued by Jason Smith? Nothing personal against Jason, but c'mon?  I noticed that Marcella also looked humbed in his presence and very respectfully referred to him as "chef," and not by his first name like they do to the other contestants. At least, it's not Nancy Fuller.

I wish that contestant Adam were doing better. I like his work and that one guy who keeps winning, Alex?, has an attitude that rubs me the wrong way. I also like the lady who made the concrete/flower cake last week. She's pretty good. 

[tobeannounced]

On 5/18/2018 at 1:05 PM, grisgris said:

How can that French pastry chef keep a straight face having his work critiqued by Jason Smith? Nothing personal against Jason, but c'mon?  I noticed that Marcella also looked humbed in his presence and very respectfully referred to him as "chef," and not by his first name like they do to the other contestants. At least, it's not Nancy Fuller.

This! I swear Jason has something nitpicky to say about his bakes every time, and I just cringe with secondhand embarrassment.  I'm amazed the guy doesn't laugh in his face.

[novhappy]

 You know this show had a lot of potential. Really accomplished bakers competing at a high level with an interesting but not ridiculous amount of time constraints and twists. It coulda been the Top Chef of Baking. At least I feel like it’s that level of professional contestants. 

Yet FN ruins it with absolutely absurd caricatures of judges who are presenting themselves as loudly and proudly as possible. A host who apparently has earned his right to get a job trying something new for himself. Chefs and professional hosts are different skill sets  I assume Scott is a good chef.

FN, continuing to be the immature annoying cousin at family dinner table. 

PS I noticed something odd about the camera work last week. The shot almost never stayed on Scott for more than a split second. It was dizzying. 

[Maya]

I love strawberry shortcake so everything in the first round looked good. The second round was just “show off every technique you can think of and put it on a plate.” I can’t remember what anyone made. 

Also cant believe Rashida’s still there! Those must have been some crazy good biscuits! 

[Ilovecomputers]

I love strawberry shortcake, but no one in my family likes whipped cream.  We prefer the biscuit over the sponge cake (twinkie) some people serve.  It was interesting to see lemon curd inside of some of the biscuits and I will definitely try that some time.  As for the main heat, call me unsophisticated, but I don’t get the appeal of abstract lumps of green sponge cake for moss and chocolate sticks for twigs “because I like to go camping.”  I really thought Adam would be the runaway winner, but Miss Nosering is a dark horse in this competition; she just might pull it off.  Tired of the guy from Miami always thinking he has to “represent” Miami—just bake something delicious; I don’t care if you come from Miami or Denver.  They squeezed Scott into another too-tight suit and he looked ready to pop.  Put that man in a polo shirt.

[Rammchick]

Agreed, ilovecomputers, he looked like 10 pounds of sausage stuffed into five pounds of casing.  At one point, standing there, it didn't look like he could put his arms down.

[Ilovecomputers]

46 minutes ago, Rammchick said:

it didn't look like he could put his arms down

That's funny.  It made me think of "A Christmas Story" when Randy was so bundled with winter gear that he couldn't put his arms down.

[dleighg]

I was coincidentally planning on making strawberry shortcake tomorrow so got some ideas-- lemon curd, freeze dried strawberries, compressing some strawberries-- i can do those!

[joanne3482]

4 hours ago, Ilovecomputers said:

As for the main heat, call me unsophisticated, but I don’t get the appeal of abstract lumps of green sponge cake for moss and chocolate sticks for twigs “because I like to go camping.”

I know I haven't tried every microwave cake recipe out there, but I've yet to try one that tastes even remotely good. 

[Destiny74]

Soggy bottom.  Mary Berry would not he amused.?

I like Adam, I really do, but making everything in a cylinder shape is going to get old soon.  Sure, it's fresh the first few times.  Stop now.  It'll look like you are a one trick pony as far as plating is concerned.  And I had to laugh when he was talking during the shortcake round about how daring and innovative he was being by mixing strawberry and basil.  Come to find out 3 or 4 others were also doing that combo.

That and Meyer lemon.  A handful of people did Meyer lemon curd.  Lime curd would've been more innovative and strawberry and lime go well together too.

Max's creme brulee looked melted and sad to me.  I don't as not impressed.  Also, I am not a fan of mango so the fact that like, everyone, did mango kinda turned me off.

[Ilovecomputers]

Ah, Mary Berry.  I read the online stories about Paul Hollywood and Betty Boop.  Paul and his wife split last November and he has a girlfriend who's 20-something years old.  Wonder if Scott Conant's wife is on the set watching much.