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So… No Pressure or Anything…

April 12, 2010 by Joy the Baker 66 Comments

Pillsbury Bake Off 

I’m at the Pillsbury Bake Off in Orlando, Florida.  There are 100 finalists here… dicing, slicing, frying, baking and otherwise stressing out in a giant hotel ballroom.  At stake?  One.  Million.  Dollars.  In their faces?   Cameras.  Lots of cameras.  

Me?  I’m not baking.  Not baking a thing.  Thank heavens.  I’m not a competitive baker.  Just the thought of competitive food production makes me want to crumble.

Pillsbury Bake Off 

The 93 women and 7 men competing here  at the 44th Annual Pillsbury Bake Off are champions.  Cooking with this sort of pressure and media is a looooong way from home cooking.  

Want to see what this whole shindig looks like?  It’s serious business.  

Pillsbury Bake Off 

Camera crews, lighting dudes, sound men and journalist ladies all gear up for the four hour long competition over breakfast.  

Pillsbury Bake Off 

Hardcore branding.  Hardcore advertising.  Mega sponsorship.  Loads of contestants and family and annoying bloggers like me milling about.  

Pillsbury Bake Off 

Pre Bake Off… some dudes are giving me camera envy.  

Pillsbury Bake Off 

Know what the Bake Off has taught me?   That husbands are super awesome!  Here’s one hubby taking a picture of his wife’s finished product slot.  I can’t tell you how many conversations I’ve overheard between anxious husbands.  Tender moments.  Serious tenderness. 

Pillsbury Bake Off 

There are cameras exactly everywhere.  

Pillsbury Bake Off 

Before the grand entrance of the hundred contestants, the ballroom smells like new ovens and photographers.  It’s complex.  

Pillsbury Bake Off 

Moms.  Sisters.  Grandmas.  Husbands.  All getting ready for the entrance of the BakeOff-ers.  

Pillsbury Bake Off 

Blue aprons.  Finalist ribbons.  Smiling faces.  I think I might me almost as nervous as they are. How utterly self indulgent of me. 

Pillsbury Bake Off 

You’re pretty and you’re baking.  Go!  Fight!  Win!

Pillsbury Bake Off 

Super concentration.  

Pillsbury Bake Off 

Every competitors cabinets are stocked with the exact ingredients they need for their recipe.  Whomever stocked these cabinets… I’d like to hire you to be my permanent sous chef.  Please and thank you.

Pillsbury Bake Off 

Um… this lady looks like she might be peeking at her neighbors work.  Is that allowed? 

Pillsbury Bake Off 

There are plenty of little gentlemen like this cheering on their mothers.  Kinda precious.  

Also… old man elbow.  These things can’t be avoided.  

Pillsbury Bake Off 

There’s a lot going on back there. 

Pillsbury Bake Off 

And there’s a lot going out here.  

Pillsbury Bake Off 

So… no pressure or anything.  I know you’re trying to win a million dollars, but it’s interview time.  

Pillsbury Bake Off 

Just look at how graceful and lovely JoAnn is.  Pretty smile.  Hands clasped.  Finalist ribbon gleaming in the camera lights.  These people are lovely and gracious home cooks.  Their families are buzzing with excitement.  It’s such an exhilirating event to be a part of.  

Pillsbury Bake Off 

Four winners are being announced later tonight.  The grand prize winner of the Pillsbury Bake Off is being announced live on Oprah tomorrow afternoon.  Whaat!?  Yea.  Crazytown.  That’s happening.  

Thank you to Pillsbury for generously flying to to Orlando to take dorky pictures of your grand Bake Off. That sure was swell of you.  

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. JoAnn Belack

    April 21, 2010 at 6:06 pm

    Hi, I am the ‘JoAnn’ in the picture above! It was a fun interview with Ali and if you watched Oprah, our ‘high five’ was the opening clip of the show….and really fun to see. As any finalist will tell you, this was an experience of a lifetime!!

    Reply
    • joythebaker

      April 21, 2010 at 9:09 pm

      oh my goodness JoAnn! You’re totally famous! Can i just say how poised and polished you were during that interview. It was kinda amazing!

      Reply
  2. Oswald R.

    April 20, 2010 at 6:58 pm

    So close and yet so far. I live in Orlando but have no transportation to the bake off. If only I wasn’t afraid of public transportation (more getting lost than anything).

    Reply
  3. Susie @ Hick Chick

    April 14, 2010 at 2:08 pm

    You “food bloggers” were so cool! AND LOOK! Those are my Caramelized Red Onion-Feta Burgers!

    Reply
  4. Terresa Wellborn

    April 13, 2010 at 10:04 pm

    How nutsy cool! I’ve never been to an event like that, but after this post, feel like I’ve walked the red carpet. I’m wondering who the winners are now…

    Reply
  5. Audrina Attic

    April 13, 2010 at 4:10 pm

    Wow I have never heard of events like this, the atmosphere must have been amazing!

    Reply
  6. Tay

    April 13, 2010 at 6:51 am

    Some of the food doesn’t look so appetizing, but as long as it taste good…

    Will you compete next time? Your food always looks so well designed and tasty. You could probably win hands down.

    Reply
  7. Silvia

    April 13, 2010 at 12:55 am

    Wow, that’s incredible, I’ve never heard of something like that, sure in Italy that would be a huge novelty.
    I really feel for them, it must be so difficult to cook with so much pressure and all those people looking on, sometimes I just get a little bit nervous when my husband lingers in the kitchen because he wants to help me…
    Great photos Joy, keep us informed please, I’s so curious about the winner!

    Reply
  8. Shannon @ bakeandbloom.com

    April 12, 2010 at 11:59 pm

    That is so cute, look at all the suzie homemakers! Looks like you had a blast.

    Reply
  9. teresa

    April 12, 2010 at 10:29 pm

    Hi JOY!
    How totally COOL and EXCITING that you are in the middle of all of this baking!
    Please do tell me that deep deep deep down inside you are dying to be whipping up…baking all of your luscious goodies!!!!
    I so wish you were on the verge of winning that MILLION…
    goodness knows YOU deserve it!
    You are FAB!
    I am excited for you to be enjoying the FUN in Orlando!
    I bet it smells heavenly all around that action!
    xxooxx
    Enjoy!

    Reply
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  1. Joy the Baker » Blog Archive » 2010. It’s Happening. says:
    May 19, 2010 at 11:11 pm

    […] took pictures of the Pillsbury Bake Off.  Competitive cooking stresses me out…. that’s my excuse for all the room […]

    Reply
  2. How To Abs Fast | How do i get abs really fast without buying any equipment to do it? says:
    April 13, 2010 at 2:38 pm

    […] Joy the Baker » Blog Archive » So… No Pressure or Anything… […]

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