''Next Great Baker'' (also known as ''Cake Boss: Next Great Baker'') is an American television series that airs on TLC, hosted by

Buddy Valastro Bartolo "Buddy" Valastro Jr. (born March 3, 1977) is an American baker and reality television personality of Italian heritage. He is the owner of Carlo's Bakery, as well as the face of Buddy V's Ristorante. Valastro is best known as the star of ...

, the star of his own reality series, '' Cake Boss''. The show features contestants participating in challenges that test their edible art baking and decorating skills. Each week, a contestant will be eliminated; the last contestant standing will win a grand prize package that varies by season. Other prizes for winning a challenge or the week's competition are also offered during the series.

Gameplay

Each round has three stages: # Baker's challenge: Each contestant has to meet a challenge set by Buddy the Cake Boss, such as making a pastry, baking a cake or, as in the first-season finale, filling buckets of grease. The winner of this challenge receives a special bonus, revealed after the challenge. # Elimination challenge: Each contestant has a set amount of time over two days — usually three hours on the first day and the remaining time on the second — to make a cake to specifications set by Buddy. # Final elimination: Buddy and the judges (the judge from the Baker's challenge and a client) decide which three cakes are the best and which two cakes that are the worst. After the decisions are made, the contestants (who were waiting in the bakers' lounge) enter the judging room. Contestants determined "safe" are then dismissed. Then, the three contestants with the best cakes are announced, with the one with the best cake in the challenge singled out. The remaining contestants have the worst cakes in the challenge; one of these will be told to leave the competition, transported away by Danny (an employee of Carlo's Bakery and Buddy's close friend) inside a box truck marked "Not the Next Great Baker".

Episodes

Season 1

The first season of ''Next Great Baker'' was taped inside a special kitchen studio set up at the Hudson County Community College Culinary Arts Institute in

Jersey City, New Jersey Jersey City is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, after Newark.Chevrolet Cruze and an apprenticeship at

Carlo's Bake Shop Carlo's Bake Shop, commonly known as Carlo's Bakery and also known as Carlo's City Hall Bake Shop, is a bakery in Hoboken, New Jersey, owned by Buddy Valastro. The bakery has gained public attention as the setting of the TLC television series, ''C ...

in Hoboken, New Jersey. Following his win, Dana was featured in some episodes of ''Cake Boss'', but he had had his own bakery before his appearance on the show.

Season 2

The second season of ''Next Great Baker'' was set at the new Carlo's Bakery facility at Lackawanna Center in Jersey City, and was televised from November 28, 2011 to January 30, 2012 on TLC. Marissa Lopez, the last contestant standing out of a field of 13 contestants, won $100,000 cash and a four-page spread in ''

Brides A bride is a woman who is about to be married or who is newlywed. When marrying, the bride's future spouse, (if male) is usually referred to as the ''bridegroom'' or just ''groom''. In Western culture, a bride may be attended by a maid, brides ...

'' magazine, along with an opportunity to work beside Buddy in the bakery. As of 2020, she is the manager of Carlo's Bakery Ridgewood, New Jersey.

Season 3

Season 3 premiered on Monday, November 26, 2012. 13 contestants compete for $100,000, a spread in redbook magazine and to work with Buddy. The winner was Ashley Holt. She now owns her own bakery called ''Sugar Monster''. She previously worked at Buddy's bakery and appears on Buddy's other show, ''Cake Boss'' from Season 5. She announced her withdrawal from the bakery on Season 6. (Ep. 28: Up, Up and Away)

Season 4

Season 4 premiered on Tuesday, June 24, 2014. This season, contestants competed in pairs. Ten pairs total vied for a $100,000 grand prize and an opportunity to work for Buddy Valastro at the new Carlo's Bakery at Las Vegas's The Venetian. Chocolatier Jacques Torres and Magnolia Bakery chief Bobbie Lloyd were permanent judges for season four alongside Buddy. Co-workers Al Watson and Lia Weber were the winners.

Versions

References

{{TLC Programming 2010 American television series debuts 2014 American television series endings 2010s American cooking television series American television spin-offs American English-language television shows Works about cakes Reality television spin-offs Television shows set in New Jersey Television shows filmed in New Jersey Television shows filmed in New York City Television shows shot in the Las Vegas Valley TLC (TV network) original programming