Casting is now open for the eighth season of The Great American Baking Show, the American version of the popular British cooking show, The Great British Bake-Off.
Each season of The Great American Baking Show features a group of amateur bakers competing in weekly cooking challenges, culminating in one contestant being anointed “Star Baker” and another being eliminated.
The show is seeking contestants who are passionate, well-rounded and skilled in baked goods ranging from bread to cupcakes to pies. The casting directors also emphasize that you should apply even if you feel like you’re not good enough. “Amateur” is the operative word here, and applicants who have been to culinary school or worked at a bakery in the past 10 years are ineligible.
In its six previous seasons the show has yet to present a contestant from Dallas. In fact, there's never been a contestant from Texas. We’d like to see that change, and we encourage aspiring Dallas bakers to go for it this season.
If you still have lingering feelings of inadequacy, however, our answers to the application’s questions will hopefully give you a confidence boost. Like we said, anyone can apply, so why not you?
The first set of questions is so easy that even we can do it. It’s just your name and personal information. All you have to do is not lie or misspell your name and you’ll pass this section with flying colors.
After that comes a string of questions about your history and lifestyle as a baker. This is where any earnest, passionate applicant will shine, especially compared to us.
One question reads, “Please describe a typical day/week in terms of your baking – How big a part of your life is baking and why?” We have to confess that while we love and appreciate baked goods, we probably turn to stores and restaurants for our fix more than these casting directors would like. If you bake something at home at least once a week, you’re doing fine and are definitely not the least qualified person trying out for the show.
Another question reads, “Why do you bake and who do you bake for?” The answer for us is, unfortunately, “for the bit.” The most recent article we published that involved making something at home, “We Put Maple Syrup on Spaghetti, and Elf May Be on to Something,” was published back in December. That didn’t even involve anything resembling baking. We microwaved some leftover pasta for that one and didn’t even bother to heat the syrup.
Say what you will about your qualifications, but at least they won’t think you’re pulling a prank on them.
Finally, the application calls for multiple high-quality photos of things you have baked in the past. We regret to inform you after scrounging our photo library, the best we could find were these strawberry shortcakes.
Don’t get us wrong. They were tasty and we stand by them wholeheartedly. But they were also storebought and topped with whipped cream from a can. That simply wouldn't fly in a cooking competition.
We know that the producers are encouraging everyone to apply, regardless of skill or experience, but we’re starting to suspect that we may be the exception. Maybe we’ll go star in Worst Cooks on America with Chef Tiffany Derry instead.
The Great American Baking Show is currently streaming on the Roku Channel. If you want to represent Dallas in the upcoming season, fill out this casting application. Our own hopeless application aside, we have our fingers crossed for you.
