Buddy “Cake Boss” Valastro has found his next 13 aspiring cake artists for Next
Great Baker. They will be entering the kitchen to see if they can bake their way to
the top. At stake, the sweet prize of $100,000, a four page feature in Brides Magazine,
and a chance to work side-by-side with Buddy and his team at Carlo’s Bakery.
“This season is bigger and better – we’ve doubled the prize, the challenges are
tougher, and there’s a seasoned ‘bakers dozen’ fighting it out to prove to me they
have what it takes to hang with the Carlo’s crew,” said Buddy Valastro.
Time to Meet the this Year's Contestants:
Ryan Cimorelli, Providence, RI - Meet Ryan in the Exclusive Interview with Joe Baker of TBN
30 years old; Owner, The Bakery Boutique in Smithfield, RI.
Wesley Durden, Fayetteville NC - Rest in Peace Sgt. Durden
29 years old; Active serviceman with 82nd Airborn Division, based at Fort Bragg.
Chad Fitzgerald, Duncanville, TX
44 years old; Owner of THE CAKE GUYS in Dallas and Duncanville, TX; also a High School Math Teacher.
Jasmine Frank, Los Angeles, CA
20 years old; Owner of Jazzy Cakes
Tony Frys, Forth Worth, TX
23 years old; a co-owner of “The Sugar Art”
Heather Grubb, Knoxville, TN
31 years old; owner of Cake of Knoxville.
Megan Hart, Pittsburgh PA - Meet Megan in the Exclusive Interview with Joe Baker of TBN.
38 years old; works as a paramedic for the city of Pittsburgh.
Marissa Lopez, Pompton Lakes NJ - Meet Marissa in the Exclusive Interview with Joe Baker of TBN
24 years old; Cake decorator at the Brownstone in Patterson NJ and small business owner.
Heather Macia, Las Vegas, NV
32 years old; a culinary school graduate, she currently works as an exotic dancer.
Carmelo Oquendo, Worcester, MA - Meet Carmelo in the Exclusive Interview with Joe Baker of TBN. 43 years old; a retired Gang Unit Police Officer and now the “Cakefather of Worcester.”
Nadine Reibeling, New York, NY
28 years old; owner of Lolly Love, LLC, and also works in catering sales for a hotel.
Minerva Vazquez, Miami, FL
46 years old; a personal chef and cake artist
Sara Williams, Cedartown, GA - Meet Sara in the Exclusive Interview with Joe Baker of TBN
39 years old; owner of a bakery, Crickette’s Cakes
From the International School of Baking
From the kitchens of King Arthur Flour
A twist on a classic Sour Dough formula
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