Kids Baking Championship - General Discussion

[MerBearHou]

14 minutes ago, mlp said:

It's on right now, Central time.  And it's a new episode, not the rerun I was expecting.  I can't imagine why FN didn't show it earlier.  

Watching!  Awfully late for a kids’ baking show.  Enjoying seeing the familiar kids a few years later.  

[mlp]

1 hour ago, MerBearHou said:

Enjoying seeing the familiar kids a few years later.

Me too.  They've all grown and matured.  Naima was a pain the first time around but she's now soft-spoken and pleasant.  Sam seems to have lost whatever his speech problem was.  I thought the right kid won.  (not saying who because I think most people haven't seen it and FN will probably rerun it)

I assume it was filmed after the pandemic began because Valerie and Duff were standing apart and all the kids were using gloves.

Edited November 9, 2020 by mlp
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[Guest]

I saw that it was listed to be on at midnight ET but I didn't feel like staying up that late for what might just be The Kitchen again. Glad to hear they actually showed it, though. Looks like it's on Youtube (for now) so hopefully I can catch it after work. The video on Food Network's site that says it's the Kid's Baking episode is...also The Kitchen. Weird!

[Darian]

This was such comfort viewing. I love the kids, and Valerie and Duff are excellent with them. Valerie cracked me up with how amused she was about, in effect, being called an old lady. I was so happy for Taylor, one of my all-time favorites.  I wish there'd been no twist so we could have bad more finished products. In general, like so many of you, I don't like twists More of this kind of show, please. 

[SweetSable]

14 hours ago, mlp said:

I assume it was filmed after the pandemic began because Valerie and Duff were standing apart and all the kids were using gloves.

When the one kid was talking about the "old ladies" at her church (60 year olds), Valerie said she had just had a birthday, and guess how old she was?  60!  Her birthday is in April so it was filmed after the pandemic began.

 

[Guest]

Found it online, so I'm all caught up! Man, I needed that. Cute, chill kids, and they all excelled in different aspects of the challenge. Duff and Val delivered their usual blend of friendly fun, but as usual didn't shy away from criticism when it was due. A good time all around 😄

[rippleintime17]

It was a fun mix of kids! I didn't realize when watching that it was one episode only though, so was confused when they declared a winner at the end! I was happy to see Brady again, his reactions are great. 

[SweetSable]

3 hours ago, rippleintime17 said:

It was a fun mix of kids! I didn't realize when watching that it was one episode only though, so was confused when they declared a winner at the end! I was happy to see Brady again, his reactions are great. 

I love seeing these special shows so we get to see the kids a little older than they were on their original seasons.  I wouldn't mind seeing some of them every few years.  Maybe we'll see some of them on other Baking Championship shows once they're adults.  

[jlc]

49 minutes ago, SweetSable said:

I love seeing these special shows so we get to see the kids a little older than they were on their original seasons.  I wouldn't mind seeing some of them every few years.  Maybe we'll see some of them on other Baking Championship shows once they're adults.  

I have seen Peggy on Guy's Grocery Games twice. She won both times. It was great, she has grown up to be a beautiful young lady. 

[Guest]

3 hours ago, jlc said:

I have seen Peggy on Guy's Grocery Games twice. She won both times. It was great, she has grown up to be a beautiful young lady. 

Peggy - that's who I was trying to think of. I'd bet if any Kids Baking contestants show up on the adult versions, it'll be her.

[rippleintime17]

Huh, there's a new ep in my DVR for this Sunday as well. Is it going to be another one-off challenge with a different set of kids? 

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, rippleintime17 said:

Huh, there's a new ep in my DVR for this Sunday as well. Is it going to be another one-off challenge with a different set of kids? 

According to Food Network and the online TV Guide listings, it's new, and it's called Kids Baking Championship: Holiday Bake-Tacular. However, this is the description from the Food Network site (bolding mine):

"Duff Goldman and Valerie Bertinelli host, mentor and judge as five fan-favorite kid bakers create holiday gingerbread house cakes and compete to win a $10,000 baker's dream package that includes a blast chiller!"

This sounds very similar to the last one, which was called "Season's Sweetings". So I don't know if it's another round of the same competition with different kids, or they're just re-running last week's with a new title. Weird!

Edited to add: it's on at 7:00 ET, which seems like an unusual time for a new episode. So I'm guessing it's a repackaged rerun.

Edited November 12, 2020 by tracyscott76

[mlp]

The new episode is a rerun of the one that was shown very late last week causing many people to miss it.  

[Guest]

39 minutes ago, mlp said:

The new episode is a rerun of the one that was shown very late last week causing many people to miss it.  

Makes sense that they would show it again at a more reasonable hour...but I wonder why they changed the name? Trying to get all their holiday puns in, I guess.

[rippleintime17]

It says season 9, episode 2 also, which is confusing.

[RealityCheck]

New Season of KIDS BAKING CHAMPIONSHIP Premieres Monday, December 28th at 9PM ET/PT

Quote

An added new element to the series is the bakers’ parents are there reacting to every twist and turn of the competition.

 

[mlp]

3 hours ago, RealityCheck said:

An added new element to the series is the bakers’ parents are there reacting to every twist and turn of the competition.

They did that on the first show with kids that featured, if I remember correctly, Guy Fieri and Rachael Ray.  All the parents were in one room watching on closed circuit TV.  It was, at best, marginally interesting.

[LexieLily]

18 hours ago, RealityCheck said:

New Season of KIDS BAKING CHAMPIONSHIP Premieres Monday, December 28th at 9PM ET/PT

 

 

15 hours ago, mlp said:

They did that on the first show with kids that featured, if I remember correctly, Guy Fieri and Rachael Ray.  All the parents were in one room watching on closed circuit TV.  It was, at best, marginally interesting.

The only marginally interesting part is finding out who are normal parents and who are the stage parents forcing their kids into this and putting entirely too much pressure on them. 

[NJKBCFan]

Season 9 starting on December 28!

Meet the Competitors

Edited December 20, 2020 by NJKBCFan

[trudysmom]

I can only hope that this season of KBC is better than we got for Holiday Wars, Holiday Baking Championship and that God-awful CandyLand mess.  

[Girl in a Cardigan]

On 11/27/2020 at 10:15 AM, LexieLily said:

The only marginally interesting part is finding out who are normal parents and who are the stage parents forcing their kids into this and putting entirely too much pressure on them. 

Yeah, after seeing a brief preview during the HBC finale, I'm a little nervous about so much involvement from the parents. I mean, the parents have always been there since you aren't just sending minors to baking summer camp, but I don't really care about the out of kitchen drama for kids or adults. Bake the thing and then leave my screen.

[Darian]

Yeah, when I saw this come up on my scheduled recordings, I got excited. I'm not a kid person, but I always love the kid competitions. The kids are usually so funny and enthusiastic and nice to each other, and Duff and Valerie are so good with them. The parents better behave. I need this to be fun and relatively drama-free. 

[Grizzly]

I'm not looking forward to seeing and hearing the parents. Will only increase drama and take time away from baking. Hard enough to get to know all the kids, no interest in their parents.

[blueray]

I didn't realize tonight was the promier. But I watched the second half of the first episode and part of the second one. I have to say I hate seeing the parents. They ruin the show. I want to watch the kids and what they are making. I could not care less about what the parents think, and felt like they were just wasting time.  And watching them watch the show is stupid. Then to make it worse when the first kid was eliminated watching the parents react as the kids were was terrible. Here you have parents cheering when their kid either "won" or was safe right in front of the parents who had to watch their kid lose. The parents were way ruder then the kids were btw. This completely turned me off from the show and I turned it off because of it. These kids have enough pressure they don't need to worry about disappointing their parents. And while it maybe because of Covid the show lost it's best part, the kids interacting with each other. Knowing that the British bake off pulled off a somewhat normal season, there is no reason why this show could either. These aren't stupid kids, they understand that they may have to maintain distance. So they could have found creative ways to keep the show the same. 

[Guest]

Well I really enjoyed that. These kids are cracking me up. Quite the range of personalities. Nemo and Bella in particular are fun, but the quieter ones are funny, too, in their own way. Nemo is a comedian, but you can kind of tell that he helps in his dad's restaurant with his "yes sir" to Duff. And Bella freaking out over the twist in the first hour: "We just have to add a decoration, why is everyone baking stuff???" Lots of little throwaway lines that made me chuckle, like Namiah adding something to her mixture: "One at a time - WHOOP! - two at a time". And one wonders how long they all stood there saying "herbs" in various ways before Duff and Valerie came out to introduce the second challenge XD.

I thought the parents were pretty unobtrusive, actually, though I'm still not sure what the purpose was of having them there - other than to show that the eliminated kid doesn't actually go crying off by themselves alone forever. And I personally didn't see any rudeness when winners were announced, just smiles and some clapping.

Maybe I'm a soft touch, but I didn't find anything objectionable here. Just some good fun.

[TomGirl]

3 minutes ago, tracyscott76 said:

Maybe I'm a soft touch, but I didn't find anything objectionable here.

Same here.  I’m loving Haylin already.  She reminds me of Grayson/Greyson/?

[MerBearHou]

Welcome back to this fun show.  I always enjoy the Duff and Valerie pairing.  I didn’t mind the parents and thought they were pretty low-key, though I do imagine being aware of the parents on the other side of the screen really adds pressure to those kids and they’re feeling plenty of pressure already.  I hated that both Nemo and Trey were in the bottom 2 of episode 2 — liked both of them so, so much.  Zemo interacts so well and so good-naturedly with Duff and Valerie and no doubt the restaurant experience he has gives him a comfort level of bantering with them.  He needs to watch his goof-ups though!  I wasn’t a fan of Bella — sorry — it bugged me when she verbally seemed to be a little pleased that Andrew burned his caramel cake in episode 1 and her cake “looked like it fell off of a truck”.  I thought she should’ve been eliminated over Andrew.  I think her quips make her more producer-desirable at the moment.  I’m a cynic like that. 

Edited December 29, 2020 by MerBearHou

[mlp]

I don't think having the parents featured adds anything but they haven't bothered me yet.

My favorites so far are the little girl from Kentucky and Nemo who sounds quite adult sometimes.  After just two episodes, I'm thinking that the girl will go far and Nemo won't last long.

Time constraints and twists affect the kids just as badly as they do the adults if not worse.  Based upon the impressive cakes we saw during the introductions, some of these kids are seriously talented but they can't do their best in two hours. 

As always, I love Duff and Valerie both separately and together.   

One positive thing that came from Covid restrictions IMO is the elimination of the producer-required, phony group hugs at the ends of all the baking shows.  Those have always annoyed me although less so with the kids.

 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, TomGirl said:

Same here.  I’m loving Haylin already.  She reminds me of Grayson/Greyson/?

She does have a similar quiet, sunny disposition. Just with a waaaay heavier accent XD

[Girl in a Cardigan]

3 hours ago, blueray said:

I didn't realize tonight was the promier. But I watched the second half of the first episode and part of the second one. I have to say I hate seeing the parents. They ruin the show. I want to watch the kids and what they are making. I could not care less about what the parents think, and felt like they were just wasting time.  And watching them watch the show is stupid. Then to make it worse when the first kid was eliminated watching the parents react as the kids were was terrible. Here you have parents cheering when their kid either "won" or was safe right in front of the parents who had to watch their kid lose. The parents were way ruder then the kids were btw. This completely turned me off from the show and I turned it off because of it. These kids have enough pressure they don't need to worry about disappointing their parents. 

This. I'm watching the show from my DVR right now and there is WAY TOO MUCH parents on my screen right now. I know they have parents with them all the time (and probably watch them on set or in a green room because that's what happens with minors) in the past, but I have literally no interest in the parents. (I have the same problem when they interview Aly Raisman's parents or Michael Phelps's mom at the Olympics - the athlete is the person of interest!)

I'll probably finish this episode from my DVR but after that I'm out. If they are going to take this much time with the parents in an episode where we have so many bakers to get to know, I know I won't be able to deal with only six parents in the room or whatever. 

Have fun y'all! Hopefully the season will be fun for those who enjoy it!

[TomGirl]

McKenzley reminds me of one of those “before” pictures where the glasses and braces come off, the hair comes down, and voila!

[Iseut]

I'm happy this show is back, and actually really grateful to Food Network for providing a steady stream of comforting baking competition programming during this mess of a year. The challenges and setups aren't perfect, but the shows still make me happy. 

I only watched the first episode, and speaking of imperfect challenges, that was a hard one to start with! Cheesecakes in general are tough to do in a timeframe, and giving them the paintbrush add-on, which would be really hard to put in within the timeframe without melting, is basically a recipe for disaster. So good on the kids for doing as well as they did.

I just thought the addition of the parents was kind of random. Aren't they backstage watching every season? Why do we need to see them this time when we haven't very much before? Was FN afraid that viewers would think they were keeping these kids in the bubble without their families? 

Don't really know names yet, except Nemo, because that's a memorable name and a memorable kid. He was fun. I also like the girl whose dad braided her hair; they seemed sweet. 

 

Edited December 29, 2020 by Iseut

[Rammchick]

My take from the first episode was, Bella, mind your own business.  She had a lot to say about what the other kids were doing, but then had problems making her own cheesecake.  

[NJKBCFan]

Not crazy about the parents being in the show. Particularly annoyed when showing their reactions when their kid made a mistake. Can't imagine being the kid watching the show now and seeing their parent reacting like that.

[Guest]

19 minutes ago, Iseut said:

I just thought the addition of the parents was kind of random. Aren't they backstage watching every season? Why do we need to see them this time when we haven't very much before? Was FN afraid that viewers would think they were keeping these kids in the bubble without their families? 

That might actually have something to do with it, now that you mention it. Just added proof that proper precautions were being taken and the families were ok with it. 

20 minutes ago, Iseut said:

Don't really know names yet, except Nemo, because that's a memorable name and a memorable kid. He was fun. I also like the girl whose dad braided her hair; they seemed sweet.

That's Miabella. Her giggle and Cydney's giggle when someone compliments them are super cute. As is Haylin's "Thank yew."

One thing I liked about these episodes is that several kids had unexpected problems (melting brushstrokes, collapsing cheesecake, funky pat a choux, burnt dirt), but no one was really stopped in their tracks by tears or crippling indecision. They just soldiered on. Not that young kids crying when something goes wrong isn't understandable, but it isn't much fun to see their agony. So it was nice to see some gumption! Now watch, next week will be a bloodbath XD

[NJKBCFan]

2 hours ago, Iseut said:

 

I just thought the addition of the parents was kind of random. Aren't they backstage watching every season? Why do we need to see them this time when we haven't very much before? Was FN afraid that viewers would think they were keeping these kids in the bubble without their families? 

 

I'm going to guess it came through some focus groups and market research. That maybe they learned/felt that audiences were getting tired of the same format every year and needed to so something to change it up. Based on the reaction here, I'm going to guess they don't stay with it in subsequent seasons.

[Grizzly]

The brushstroke fad should die since those all looked horrible and added nothing to the cheesecake. Except Keaton's, he is the player to beat. I really wanted a s'more cheesecake. Points to everyone who did not use lemon.

In the second round, I thought Nemo should've gone home. He burnt his twist and it was inedible. Tres didn't make anything new but the only condition I heard was that dirt be made from scratch.

[Rammchick]

20 hours ago, Grizzly said:

The brushstroke fad should die since those all looked horrible and added nothing to the cheesecake. Except Keaton's, he is the player to beat. I really wanted a s'more cheesecake. Points to everyone who did not use lemon.

In the second round, I thought Nemo should've gone home. He burnt his twist and it was inedible. Tres didn't make anything new but the only condition I heard was that dirt be made from scratch.

Duff made a point to say to Trey that the twist was something they needed to pay attention to, once he heard he was just going to use leftover cake for his "dirt".  I immediately knew that was end of him.  Nemo may have burnt his, but at least his twist followed the brief and he attempted to make something else.  

[springbarb]

I was worried about the parents, but I didn't find the inclusion intrusive at all. This does seem like a good group of kids, though, as ever, I wonder about the number of them who have their own baking businesses. Doesn't that require permits and regulations about the kitchens where things are prepared, etc.? I mean, I'm sure it happens, but it seems weird to have a bunch of kids saying they have their own business.

[Darian]

I enjoyed it, like all the kids, and the parents were fine. But I was a little wigged out when a kid (Miabella, maybe) said they got the call she'd been selected "last week" and then traveled to LA. I realize I am someone who has had a feeble immune system since 1977 (I was already washing my hands a zillion times a day using the same technique as medical professionals and using hand sanitizer a lot), was an RN, and would have majored in Microbiology if I hadn't been a non-traditional student needing to finish. But I had this idea that they brought everyone in, had them quarantine for a period, tested them, and then started shooting. But from "last week" it seems like a bunch of kids and adults flew in from all different parts of the country days before starting to be in close contact for hours day after day. Maybe they're testing, but you can still transmit the virus before you test positive. I don't feel as carefree watching it. It doesn't matter when this was filmed. Any time after March means they're not being safe enough. IMO, anyway.  Don't mean to be the death of fun, and maybe the baker misspoke or production actually is safe. But I got concerned.   

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Darian said:

I enjoyed it, like all the kids, and the parents were fine. But I was a little wigged out when a kid (Miabella, maybe) said they got the call she'd been selected "last week" and then traveled to LA. I realize I am someone who has had a feeble immune system since 1977 (I was already washing my hands a zillion times a day using the same technique as medical professionals and using hand sanitizer a lot), was an RN, and would have majored in Microbiology if I hadn't been a non-traditional student needing to finish. But I had this idea that they brought everyone in, had them quarantine for a period, tested them, and then started shooting. But from "last week" it seems like a bunch of kids and adults flew in from all different parts of the country days before starting to be in close contact for hours day after day. Maybe they're testing, but you can still transmit the virus before you test positive. I don't feel as carefree watching it. It doesn't matter when this was filmed. Any time after March means they're not being safe enough. IMO, anyway.  Don't mean to be the death of fun, and maybe the baker misspoke or production actually is safe. But I got concerned.   

I wouldn't take something a kid says (or an adult, really) in terms of time too literally. "Last week" could mean almost anything. Plus, that specific interview snippet, if it was part of her "introduction" interview, might have been filmed early in the process when they were still quarantining. I'd imagine it would be easy enough to do those at a distance with minimal contact.

[Darian]

36 minutes ago, tracyscott76 said:

I wouldn't take something a kid says (or an adult, really) in terms of time too literally. "Last week" could mean almost anything. Plus, that specific interview snippet, if it was part of her "introduction" interview, might have been filmed early in the process when they were still quarantining. I'd imagine it would be easy enough to do those at a distance with minimal contact.

Yes, that's why I said maybe she misspoke and allowed for the possibility that Food Network did everything right. Thing is, Food Network had a lot of footage to choose from and they aired that snippet. So they mustn't care if people think they might not be taking adequate precautions. Either by airing a statement that is not true and gives tacit approval to risky behavior or being lax in their practices, Food Network biffed it. Sorry, I have lost five friends to coronavirus in the last two months. Two were healthcare workers who got it at work. I pay attention to how productions are handling things. I won't bring it up again, but since I did say it could be an error, I wanted to address your response to me. Here's hoping all goes well. This show is consistently one of my favorite cooking/baking competition shows.   

[HyeChaps]

It looks like they are using the same resort and big tent that were used for Holiday Baking Championship.

[Guest]

On 12/31/2020 at 11:24 AM, Darian said:

Yes, that's why I said maybe she misspoke and allowed for the possibility that Food Network did everything right. Thing is, Food Network had a lot of footage to choose from and they aired that snippet. So they mustn't care if people think they might not be taking adequate precautions. Either by airing a statement that is not true and gives tacit approval to risky behavior or being lax in their practices, Food Network biffed it. Sorry, I have lost five friends to coronavirus in the last two months. Two were healthcare workers who got it at work. I pay attention to how productions are handling things. I won't bring it up again, but since I did say it could be an error, I wanted to address your response to me. Here's hoping all goes well. This show is consistently one of my favorite cooking/baking competition shows.   

Hi, I did see where you said they might have misspoke - I was just trying (clumsily) to provide a little more reassurance so you could hopefully enjoy the show better. I'm sorry for your loss.

[LexieLily]

Not sure why this recap best of show is folded into the new episode as a two-hour "new" show, but I loved seeing the kids again. Peggy is fifteen - and her brother randomly walking into the frame cracked me up. Annika from the OG season is seventeen and on the pre-law track. Matthew is sixteen and said that cooking for Valerie and Duff was "the highlight of his childhood experience." (Man, if that didn't make me feel old!)

Once they got to the dessert imposters section I waited for S2 Rebecca's BLT sandwich to be number one or at least be on the list. I was wholly upset that it wasn't. I wonder if she ever got the chickens she wanted, lol.

Valerie saying she couldn't eat one more bite of cake and Duff asking why couldn't they have the Kids Quiche Championship made me laugh!

[Guest]

The look back episode was very fun. When they were listing the best tasting desserts toward the end, I had a feeling that Paige's chocolate-cherry-mascarpone-pretzel cake was going to be on there, because that's one judges' reaction that has really stuck with me - and then she was number 1, so that made me happy.

As for the actual episode, I had to laugh when Miabella said "One thing I've learned over the years..." Her whole 12 years of existence on earth XD.

Still one of the most fun shows on TV, even with the parents being there. They keep it to a minimum, so I can deal with it. I barely noticed them this time.

[mlp]

There are still a lot of kids and it's early in the season still but, so far, Haylin is my favorite.  I just like her and she seems to know what she's doing.

I enjoyed the second hour.  I love seeing how the kids have changed (or not) as they've aged.  Justice is one of my all-time favorites so I was hoping they'd have him on.  He looks just the same only taller.  I was one who wasn't thrilled when Aiden won but he seems to have developed into a nice kid.  Peggy is still a sweetheart.  

It's always obvious to me that Duff and Valerie like each other and enjoy working together.  That dynamic is a real benefit to this show.

[NJKBCFan]

So far I'm enjoying this season! The challenges have been good and the kids have been fun to watch. My early pick to win it all is Keaton. Not sure why, but his station always seems so organized and clean, so it feels like he will be good throughout. On the opposite end, I think Bella will win some challenges by accident lol. Love her personality, too.

Love D'Von's crush on Linsey, too! :-😍

[Guest]

Speaking of D'Von, I laughed at this exchange between him and McKenzly as she was adding a whole jar of peanut butter to her cupcakes:

McKenzly: I can't taste the peanut butter! *adds more*

D'Von: I think you should stop.

McKenzly: I'll stop after this. *adds more*

D'Von: ...yeah.

XD

[Grizzly]

I was a little surprised that McKenzly was sent home. Wasn't it her idea to make the meringue cookie clouds? The only meringue Duff actually ate. Brought me back to my childhood. My mother would make these meringue drop cookies with chocolate chips. So good.