#FIRSTLOOK: CASTING FOR SEASON TEN OF “THE GREAT CANADIAN BAKING SHOW”

CBC today announced the amateur bakers stepping into the iconic tent for the 10th season of The Great Canadian Baking Show (9×60), premiering Sunday, October 4 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) on CBC and the free CBC Gem streaming service. Marking a decade of showstopping creations, memorable contestants and heartwarming moments, the beloved competition returns with talented home bakers from communities across Canada, each bringing their own flavours, traditions and stories to the tent.

Comedians, actors, writers and Second City alumni Alan Shane Lewis and Ann Pornel return as hosts, bringing their signature humour and encouragement throughout the competition. Acclaimed pastry chefs Bruno Feldeisen, former executive pastry chef for the Four Seasons in New York and Vancouver and a multiple James Beard Award nominee, and Kyla Kennaley, esteemed Toronto-born pastry chef and entrepreneur, and Head of Learning at the Dorchester Collection Academy internationally, return as judges.

Meet the 10 bakers ready to turn up the heat this season:

Andrew Arcello, 38, a drama and music teacher from Stittsville, Ontario
Slavomira Blahová, 38, an office manager from Edmonton, Alberta
Saul Caverhill, 39, an electrical engineer from Calgary, Alberta
Kami Elmekki, 27, a policy analyst from Montreal, Quebec
Ahmad Farhat, 32, a program analyst from Montreal, Quebec
Jen Hudson, 51, a podcast producer from Mundleville, New Brunswick
Angie Kealey, 53, a cardiologist from Calgary, Alberta
Sam Kim, 33, a social media marketer from Toronto, Ontario
Justine Reyes, 37, a lab supervisor from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Vandana Singh, 41, a customer success manager from Fredericton, New Brunswick
Watch the Season 10 trailer here.

CBC’s homegrown take on the UK’s phenomenal hit format The Great British Bake Off, The Great Canadian Baking Show brings together amateur bakers from across the country to compete in a series of themed culinary challenges celebrating their diverse backgrounds, families and communities. Each one-hour episode features three rounds: the Signature Bake, the Technical Bake and the Showstopper. After the baked goods are tasted and critiqued, the judges name the week’s Star Baker and decide who will leave the tent. The final three bakers compete for the title of Canada’s best home baker and the coveted cake plate.

Season 9 saw Jo Mandet of Vancouver, British Columbia take home the title of Canada’s best amateur baker, following a final showdown with Ryan Gridzak of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario and Zoë Weinrebe of Toronto, Ontario. Previous seasons of The Great Canadian Baking Show are available to stream now on CBC Gem.

The Great Canadian Baking Show is produced by Blue Ant Studios in association with CBC and Love Productions. The Executive Producers are Cathie James and Lesia Capone, and Mark Van de Ven is Executive/Series Producer. For CBC, Sally Catto is General Manager, Entertainment; Jennifer Dettman is Executive Director, Unscripted Content; and Susan Taylor is Executive in Charge of Production. The format is owned by Love Productions. The Great Canadian Baking Show is proud to welcome Dairy Farmers of Canada as a returning show sponsor and Kraft Canada as a new sponsor.

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About CBC/Radio-Canada

CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster. Through our mandate to inform, enlighten and entertain, we play a central role in strengthening Canadian culture. As Canada’s trusted news source, we offer a uniquely Canadian perspective on news, current affairs and world affairs. Our distinctively homegrown entertainment and sports programming draws audiences from across the country. Deeply rooted in communities, CBC/Radio-Canada offers diverse content in English, French and eight Indigenous languages: Dëne Sųłıné, Dene Kǝdǝ́, Dene Zhatıé, Eastern Cree, Dinjii Zhuʼ Ginjik, Inuktitut, Inuvialuktun and Tłı̨chǫ. We also deliver content in Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Punjabi and Tagalog, as well as both official languages, through Radio Canada International (RCI). We are leading the transformation to meet the needs of Canadians in a digital world.

About Blue Ant Studios

An award-winning international production and rights management business, Blue Ant Studios’ diverse slate spans premium factual and high-impact documentaries, competition and entertainment formats, lifestyle, kids, youth and family, comedy, drama and animation, for broadcasters and streamers throughout the world. A division of Blue Ant Media (TSX: BAMI), the Studio encompasses Blue Ant Studios, Insight Productions, as well as Blue Ant Studios Animation Companies Jam Filled Entertainment and Atomic Cartoons. Its award-winning slate includes iconic, fan-favourite shows such as The Amazing Race Canada (CTV), Beer Budget Reno (A&E/Home Network), Blown Away (Netflix), Canada’s Drag Race (Crave), Crew Girl (Netflix), Davey & Jonesie’s Locker (Prime Video/Hulu), The Great Canadian Baking Show (CBC), Highway Thru Hell (USA Network), Kim’s Convenience (CBC/Netflix), LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy (Disney+), The Loud House (Nickelodeon), Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends (Disney+), Mysteries From Above (History/Smithsonian), Northwoods Survival (APTN/National Geographic), Sidelined: The QB and Me (Tubi), and Top Chef Canada (Flavour Network).

#FOOD: “THE GREAT CANADIAN BAKING SHOW” SEASON NINE BAKERS ANNOUNCED

CBC today revealed the latest batch of amateur bakers competing on Season 9 of THE GREAT CANADIAN BAKING SHOW (8×60). Ten dough-lightful bakers from across the country will put their skills to the test in the iconic tent for the chance to claim the title of Canada’s best amateur baker. Comedians, actors, writers and Second City alumni, Alan Shane Lewis and Ann Pornel, knead no introduction, returning as hosts alongside esteemed pastry chefs and expert judges Bruno Feldeisen and Kyla Kennaley. New episodes will be available weekly on Sundays on CBC Gem starting at 9 a.m. ET, and on CBC TV at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) local time, beginning October 5.

Based on the beloved British format, each episode features the bakers competing in three challenges – the Signature Bake, the Technical Bake, and the Show Stopper – during which they will rely on their homegrown knowledge and personal backgrounds to ensure that their delectable dishes stand out. Once their baking has been tasted and critiqued, the judges will decide who will be the week’s Star Baker and who will be sent home. In the final episode, the remaining three bakers will face off for the coveted cake plate and the title of Canada’s best amateur baker.

Meet the 10 bakers whipping up magic this season:

• Dan Vano (he/him), 35, a customer success associate from Burnaby, British Columbia
• Dominic Ménard-Bilodeau (he/him), 49, a geography teacher from Longueuil, Quebec
• Jennifer Tsang (she/her), 24, a masters student from Burnaby, British Columbia 
• Jo Mandet (she/her), 44, an event planner from Vancouver, British Columbia 
• Kavi Chatoorgoon (he/him), 48, a pediatric surgeon from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
• Margaret Bose-Johnson (she/her), 66, a part-time German teacher from Parkland County, Alberta 
• Ryan Gridzak (he/him), 34 a steel mill crane operator from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
• Shaneka Ekanayake (she/her), 38, a sales support administrator from Barrie, Ontario  
• Tamara Church (she/her), 56, a family court counsellor from St. John’s, Newfoundland 
• Zoë Weinrebe (she/her), 31, a marketing manager from Toronto, Ontario  

Season 8 winner Elora Khanom of Edmonton, Alberta took home the title and coveted cake plate after competing against semi-finalists Jen Childs of Esquimalt, British Columbia and Pamela Kramer of Stayner, Ontario. Audiences can catch up on past seasons of THE GREAT CANADIAN BAKING SHOW on CBC Gem. 

THE GREAT CANADIAN BAKING SHOW is produced by Proper Television in association with CBC and Love Productions. The executive producers are Cathie James and Lesia Capone and Mark Van de Ven who is also the series producer. For CBC, Sally Catto is General Manager, Entertainment, Factual & Sports; Jennifer Dettman is Executive Director, Unscripted Content; and Susan Taylor is Executive in Charge of Production. The format is owned by Love Productions and distributed by Sky. THE GREAT CANADIAN BAKING SHOW is proud to welcome Dairy Farmers of Canada as a show sponsor and sponsor of CBC’s Bake it with Canadian Dairy Contest, launching on October 5.

#INTERVIEW: BRUNO FELDEISEN ON SEASON FIVE OF CBC’S “THE GREAT CANADIAN BAKING SHOW”

By Mr. Will Wong

Bruno Feldeisen has travelled the world, wowing palates internationally with his vision and skill. In addition to being the Executive and Executive Pastry Chef at the likes of Semiahmoo Resort, Four Seasons Hotel New York and Vancouver, in Toronto he oversaw the offerings at Soho Metropolitan‘s Senses, as stars feasted on his creations during TIFF. In addition to adding Cook Book Author to his Résumé, Feldeisen soon can be seen in the upcoming fifth season of CBC hit Series THE GREAT CANADIAN BAKING SHOW in which he appears as judge once again alongside Kyla Kennaley.

Chatting with us from his home in Vancouver, Feldeisen lets us know about some of his favourites from over the seasons, what to expect in this delicious fifth season, the most common mistakes made by Bakers on the Show and more.

We ask Feldeisen where Canadian cuisine stands today on the world stage and where The Great Canadian Baking Show stacks against its peers.

Feldeisen: “Canadian food is really embracing the ethnicities of so many backgrounds and we are very fortunate to be able to enjoy and taste food from all parts of the world.”.

“I’ve watched different versions of The Great Canadian Baking Show and I think we are in the top three shows for food in terms of Baking, just in terms of diversity. I believe diversity brings trends. When you keep looking at the world from one lens, it’s very limited. But when you open your eyes to the world, it just creates magic.”.

In what surely is a tough task (!!) sampling some of the dazzling creations each episode, we wonder what some of his favourite creations are from seasons past.

Feldeisen: “Anybody who bakes with spices from the East like India, really gets me into an excited mood. Anybody who brings a unique flavour to the table, just opens my mind and I get so excited about it. And then there’s the technical aspect. Last year Raufikat made a Chocolate Mousse, which could be very basic. But that Chocolate Mousse was perfect! Probably one of the best I have ever had. It’s confidence, skills and the ability to deliver in a very specific amount of time as well.”.

We consistently see Bakers opening the oven which can slow-down the baking process. A problem when they are on a time crunch. We wonder what other common mistakes are made by the Contestants.

Feldeisen: “Every season almost every Baker opens the oven. We cannot tell the Baker their mistakes as it puts others at a disadvantage. But I would say it’s wasting time on cutting fruit. Fruit on its own is beautiful, so when I see a Baker slicing strawberries very small, thin layers, it doesn’t do anything to the fruit. A beautiful strawberry, let it speak for itself… it’s definitely a waste of time. Every minute and second counts.”.

Feldeisen currently is promoting his latest Cookbook, BAKING WITH BRUNO which has been a bit of a challenge navigating during the Pandemic. We ask about his Book Tour and are trying not to take it personal there hasn’t yet been a Toronto stop!

Feldeisen: We are visiting cities where it’s safe. We picked Nanaimo because it’s a small time and space is very important. It was a very safe space. Toronto is on the list, probably not this year. Next is Victoria!”.

A second book is almost finished and a third is on the way.

We ask about the one showstopper recipe in this Book.

Feldeisen: I’d say Chocolate Soufflé. It’s about timing, being patient and really about understanding the Recipe.

More on BAKING WITH BRUNO here.

Watch our Chat here:

The fifth season of CBC‘S THE GREAT CANADIAN BAKING SHOW premieres October 17, 2021 at 8 PM.

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)