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.
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.
Camera crews, lighting dudes, sound men and journalist ladies all gear up for the four hour long competition over breakfast.
Hardcore branding. Hardcore advertising. Mega sponsorship. Loads of contestants and family and annoying bloggers like me milling about.
Pre Bake Off… some dudes are giving me camera envy.
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.
There are cameras exactly everywhere.
Before the grand entrance of the hundred contestants, the ballroom smells like new ovens and photographers. It’s complex.
Moms. Sisters. Grandmas. Husbands. All getting ready for the entrance of the BakeOff-ers.
Blue aprons. Finalist ribbons. Smiling faces. I think I might me almost as nervous as they are. How utterly self indulgent of me.
You’re pretty and you’re baking. Go! Fight! Win!
Super concentration.
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.
Um… this lady looks like she might be peeking at her neighbors work. Is that allowed?
There are plenty of little gentlemen like this cheering on their mothers. Kinda precious.
Also… old man elbow. These things can’t be avoided.
There’s a lot going on back there.
And there’s a lot going out here.
So… no pressure or anything. I know you’re trying to win a million dollars, but it’s interview time.
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.
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.
JoAnn Belack
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!!
joythebaker
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!
Oswald R.
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).
Susie @ Hick Chick
You “food bloggers” were so cool! AND LOOK! Those are my Caramelized Red Onion-Feta Burgers!
Terresa Wellborn
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…
Audrina Attic
Wow I have never heard of events like this, the atmosphere must have been amazing!
Tay
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.
Silvia
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!
Shannon @ bakeandbloom.com
That is so cute, look at all the suzie homemakers! Looks like you had a blast.
teresa
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!