By Julie D’Aloiso
It is not every day that someone from this area is on a National Television Show.
Stan’s Bakery got the call after Christmas of last year! Producers of the Food Network saw Leslie’s pictures on the Stan’s Bakery Facebook and Instagram accounts and were impressed!
Over the course of several weeks, producers from the Food Network gave Leslie cookie challenges and special tasks to do along with paper work and phone calls. They wanted to make sure that Leslie would be a good candidate for the show. They also asked her questions to see what her personality was like and get a feel for how she would do on camera. After she completed the tasks within the time limit, she would have to send them a final picture of the cookie. And then later they would ask her very detailed questions about how she did it and why she did it the way that she did. All of these mini-challenges that she was asked to do, had been tested by chefs at the Food Network.
After jumping through all of the hoops, Leslie was very excited to find out that she and 40 other “cookiers” (cookie artists) were selected for the show!
They flew her to LA the 1st week in February for 5 days. They were picked up at 6 or 7 am and some days did not get done until 10 pm. All of the cookiers stayed in the same hotel. They were not allowed to say why they were there. It was very secretive. They were not allowed to take pictures or talk to anyone unless they were competitors.
I asked Leslie about what was her take away from the experience, and she said she had no idea what went into producing a Food Network challenge show. The producers spent a lot of time picking equipment and every possible ingredient that they might need. It was very nerve racking being on the show. The contestants had to use what was provided for them. One of Leslie’s recipes that she used for years did not come out as expected because she was using different flour, butter, in a different oven and in a different climate! They were using equipment that was not familiar to them, under the the hot lights, with cameras everywhere under a time crunch. And, get this, they were told to stay clean! They wanted them to cook pretty!
She said “it was the most stressful thing that she has ever done and was more stressful than childbirth – but just like childbirth, it was very rewarding once it was done!”
What I also found interesting is that of the 5 days they were there, all of the baking that you see on the show took only one day! The other days were spent with lighting, fittings, make-up, and interviews. I asked Leslie if they provided the clothes and she said no but they had to supply pictures of their outfits and they were told what to wear.
Once they were back home, they still could not talk about her experience there. She could not announce that she was going to be on the show until Halloween!
Leslie was very proud to represent the community that is her home town on a national stage.
We can not wait to see what happens! The show airs tomorrow Monday, Dec. 16 at 10 p.m., on Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 1 a.m. and on Sunday, Dec. 22 at 5 p.m. The winner gets $10,000.
No matter what happens, the people in this community are proud to have Leslie represent this area. Leslie truly “bakes the world a better place.”
If you wish to listen to my phone interview with Leslie, click the green arrow below.
