No cakewalk
‘Worst Bakers in America’ returns for Season 2
Would you go on TV and admit you’re a terrible baker? I wouldn’t. If anything turns out badly in my kitchen, rightly or wrongly, you can bet I’m blaming the recipe first.
Unlike me, eight new recruits are gamely putting their egos aside in the name of learning and self-betterment. They’ re OK with being called the “Worst Bakers in America,” at least during the Season 2 premiere, which airs Monday, July 15, on Food Network.
These bumbling bakers shouldn’t be terrible for much longer, since the competition show is described as a “five-week baking boot camp.” Each week, they pick up different tips, tricks and techniques as they compete in a series of drills and games, with one contestant eliminated at the end of every episode until only two remain.
The last baker left standing will be the one who has shown the most improvement. Their reward: $25,000, plus the necessary skills and confidence to ensure they won’t be called “Worst Baker” again.
Lorraine Pascale is back as a cohost for Round 2, but this time she’s joined by Jason Smith.The self-taught cook and baker knows the kind of pressure these contestants are under — Smith was the Season 13 winner of “Food Network Star” and the Season 3 winner of “Holiday Baking Championship.” But any sympathy for the “Worst Bakers” might be tempered by Smith’s experience as a judge in “Best Baker in America,” in which the contestants’ abilities placed them at the other end of the baking skills spectrum.
From cake disasters to cookie catastrophes, and everything that might go wrong when working with pastry, the mishaps and intensity of the competition keep it entertaining for viewers.
And if you think determining a winner is a piece of cake, think again. Season 1 winner Carla Johnson wowed the judges with her flavors but suffered setbacks when it came time to decorate her treats, even in the finale.
The Season 2 premiere is your first chance to meet the latest contestants. Get to know the “Worst Bakers in America” by tuning in to Food Network on Monday, July 15.