Summer is nearly over, which means it’s time to start thinking about the fall — and with it, Halloween. We’ve all seen the Halloween candy and spooky decorations slowly trickling onto store shelves, so why not also begin dreaming up what we can do with them? We’d bet the contestants on the inaugural season of Halloween Bakeshop are doing precisely that.
Want to get to know them a little better ahead of the show’s big premiere? Here are the eight contestants who are ready to bake, decorate, and create their way to the $25,000 grand prize. Watch the series premiere of Halloween Bakeshop on Sunday, September 14 at 9PM on Flavour Network. Stream Flavour Network with a STACKTV subscription. Try it free today.
Related: This Pumpkin Spice Affogato Tastes Like Fall
Flavour Network
Juliana Evans
Age: 45
Hometown: Brooksville, FL
For this self-proclaimed “social media baker,” confections are a nostalgic escape. They’re also a delicious way to share her love with her four daughters, whom she lives with among 16 donkeys and alpacas on their 20-acre farm. October is the ultimate excuse to bake more, and Juliana loves a themed creation that goes with one of her many costumed animals on Halloween.
Flavour Network
Sara Subramani
Age: 36
Occupation: Owner, Vogue Cakes
Hometown: Vancouver, BC
This Bahrain native moved to Canada at 21 to pursue a culinary career. Since then, she’s opened her own shop, Vogue Cakes, in Vancouver. There, she bakes up vegan specialities, sculpted cakes, and a variety of treats that incorporate Middle Eastern flavours. Sara is competing on Halloween Bakeshop to showcase those flavours, but more importantly, to honour her late mother, who was a fan of cooking shows and her daughter’s biggest supporter.
Flavour Network
Austin Granados
Age: 31
Occupation: Owner and Pastry Chef, Cake-ology
Hometown: Winnipeg, MB
Austin is a world traveller and the owner and pastry chef at Cake-ology in Winnipeg. He brings a classical French baking background to the competition, but infuses his concoctions with Filipino spins. Think pastries or laminated doughs. While the experienced baker has competed in several high-stakes challenges in the past, Halloween Bakeshop is special because he and his wife are known for their epic couples’ Halloween costumes.
Flavour Network
Lawrence Vourtzoumis
Age: 30
Occupation: Owner, Patisserie Lawrence V
Hometown: Montreal, QC
Lawrence owns Pâtisserie Lawrence V in Montreal’s Mile End neighbourhood, as well as Ambrosia Bakery, a second location he runs with his family. It shouldn’t be a surprise that this baker and entrepreneur has always been obsessed with food TV and edible art — he began selling custom cakes when he was just 15 years old! Competitors should watch out for his European-inspired flavours and delicate decorating skills, which he plans to use to win Halloween Bakeshop.
Flavour Network
Nikky Clarke
Age: 49
Occupation: Owner and Creative Director, A.M.T CREATIONS
Hometown: Toronto, ON
Baking and cooking are in Nikky Clarke’s blood. The culinary artist behind A.M.T CREATIONS, a Toronto-based luxury cake and catering company, is a third-generation food artist who uses the craftsmanship passed down from her father and grandmother. Her hyper-realistic cakes and refined Caribbean-inspired cuisine are true showstoppers that may stop competitors in their tracks. Her dramatic and fearless style seems like a perfect fit for Halloween Bakeshop, where she’s bound to continue pushing boundaries.
Flavour Network
Megan Clemens
Age: 37
Occupation: Head Baker, Moon Bakes Bakery
Hometown: South Lyon, MI
This professionally trained pastry chef started young, baking with her parents, grandmother, and great-grandmother. In other words, food is her family’s love language, and Megan is ready to share that love with the world. Megan, her wife, and kids are into all things Halloween and holiday, and their house is always a neighbourhood standout. Now, Megan is bringing those dramatic talents to her culinary creations on the show.
Flavour Network
Alessandro Caria
Age: 41
Occupation: Owner, Daisy Cakes Orlando
Hometown: Windermer, FL
Alessandro’s custom cake business, Daisy Cakes Orlando, has been going strong for nearly a decade and is the result of the baker’s love of desserts and Disney. He infuses every creation with magic and wonder to create fun and playful cakes, desserts, and sugar cookies. This competitor isn’t afraid to whip out the fondant or bold colours for something unique, especially if it means he gets to celebrate the holidays.
Flavour Network
Justin Dominguez
Age: 36
Occupation: Owner, Justin Cakes
Hometown: San Antonio, TX
Justin is a self-taught baker whose creepy custom cake company makes him an obvious pick to compete on Halloween Bakeshop. He’s into all things horror and gore, which he infuses into every edible creation he comes up with. He’ll be right at home at Halloween Bakeshop, but here’s hoping his terrifying bakes aren’t too realistic for those of us fraidy cats.