There’s no doubt that cooking competitions and baking shows have been huge over the last decade or more. There seems to be a cooking show for every type of cook, including kids and people who fail so hard at baking they may not want to go back into the kitchen.
New on the scene is Baker’s Dozen, an episodic cooking competition that puts home cooks and chefs up against each other in a three-part competition. Each episode starts with 13 bakers who have to do a decoration challenge where only the top 5 make it into the Bake Shop to compete in the next two rounds.
Unlike other shows like The Great British Bake Off, Baker’s Dozen awards a winner on each episode. Giving them a golden (painted) rolling pin and $5000. The final portion of each competition is a viral challenge where the show brings in a viral baker from TikTok, Youtube or other social networks to inspire and help judge for the winner. And with the exception of one, all are kind to the bakers as they try to win the grand prize. That final viral judge, however, may cause viewers a bit of angst, and she set out with a winner in mind and doesn’t even seem to meld well with the judges.
As for the judges for Baker’s Dozen, the show is balanced well with Chef Bill Yosses and home cook (but celebrity) Tamera Mowry-Housley. In each episode, they play off each other’s energy and come out with outfits that match in some element or another. As the judge contestants, even in the cases of utter failure, they make sure that they give them positive reinforcement and don’t tear them down.
So where does Baker’s Dozen stand in the race for the baking show audience? Overall, the show is entertaining but mindless, just like you would want in a baking competition show. It is more of a fluff show to watch than something serious you need to focus on. With the exception of a couple of contestants who have one thing they latch onto and repeat continually, like being gluten-free, you don’t get enough information to connect with any of the competitors. Instead, they quickly move through each stage of the show and you quickly move from challenge to challenge.
The concept of the show is fun, and a bit different (although not completely), but would be more interesting if they took the top winners from a few shows and narrowed it down to a grand prize winner. Maybe this is coming down the pipeline, but the show is one that home cooks are going to like watching as its not always professional chefs winning each round.
Baker’s Dozen will be live on Hulu on October 7th
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About Baker’s Dozen
Passionate amateur bakers will go head-to-head with seasoned professionals in each episode of “Baker’s Dozen”. Join hosts Tamera Mowry-Housley (Emmy-award winning host of “The Real,” FOX’s “The Masked Singer” and Hallmark’s “Christmas Comes Twice”) and Bill Yosses (Author and former White House Pastry Chef) for this fast-paced competition series that will determine the best baker of all! Which of the 13 bakers has what it takes to create the next viral baking sensation, win the golden rolling pin and take home the cash prize?
Hosts: Tamera Mowry-Housley and Bill Yosses