GBBO

I am not a huge fan of watching television. I just find most shows to be boring. One show I really enjoy though is The Great British Bake Off! Growing up I was that weird kid who enjoyed watching the Food Network. I think I like food shows because I really love to cook and bake. The show is based out of England and is filmed in Welford Park and the bakers bake in a huge tent. The twelve bakers compete in three baking challenges per show. After the final challenge someone is eliminated.  The three baking challenges are the signature, the technical, and the show stopper. In the signature challenges the bakers can show of their personal style. So the judges, Paul Hollywood, Mary Berry (who is now off the show), and Prue Leith give the bakers a dish to bake and a time limit to do the challenge in. The bakers then create and bake their own dish by using their personal "signature" flavors. Once the bakers are finished the judges walk around to each station judging each baker's signature dish. The next challenge is the technical. In the technical the judges pick a dish they want the bakers to use with very minimal instructions and little to no recipes.  This challenge is judged blindly so the judges have to leave the tent. With little to no instructions you can really see the skills of the baker. When the bakers are finished they have to place their bakes on a table behind their pictures that way the judges do not know who baked each one. The judges then blindly judge each dish. I like this aspect of the show because the judges can not go off of favoritism due to the fact they have no clue who baked what. Finally the last challenge is the show stopper. The show stopper is the final and hardest challenge. In this final challenge the bakers have combine skills, talents, and creativity to create a good bake. Like the signature challenge the bakers are allowed to pick their own flavors for a dessert that the judges pick. In the show stopper the judges expect excellent flavors, an excellent bake, along with a professional appearance. At the end of the bakers are asked to bring their bake forward to be judged. After judging and deliberation the judges announce the Star Baker, and the person leaving the show. The Star Baker is the baker who stood out the most to the judges. Each week a person is eliminated until the bakers get to the finale when there are three bakers going for the title of The Great British Bake Off  winner. On the episode of the finale the judges invite all the past contestants, and all the current baker's friends and families.  I think this baking show is so much different than American cooking or baking shows. In the Great British Bake Off everyone is competing against each other, but it is not cut throat. Competitors are more than willing to help each other out when needed. It is a very friendly competition. Bakers can be seen hugging and crying with each other when one leaves because they have made friends with each other. When a baker gets Star Baker the other bakers genuinely congratulate the winner. In American baking shows it is almost like every other competitor is out to get each other. There is a huge rivalry among the competitors and no one is going to help each other out. I think that the difference in attitudes on the show has to do with each country's culture. America thinks they are the best therefore their citizens act that way. My absolute favorite thing about the show that sets it apart from any other baking show is the bakers can bring their ingredients. In both the signature challenge and the show stopper challenge the bakers can bring everything they want and need to create their bake. Many bakers bring items from their personal gardens which I love because it really allows the bakers to personalize their dishes. I think it also allows people to see the baker's style and flavor palette outside of the tent. I love the personalization of The Great British Bake Off. I think that show was designed with the bakers in mind. These bakers come to bake because they truly love to bake. There is no large sum of money for the winner, just flowers and a cake stand.  Now excuse me while I go binge watch the new Christmas episodes.

-Savanna