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An Update on My CBS Baking Show Audition
By Sharon | Happenings
I arrived for my audition for the CBS Baking Show in Los Angeles full of excitement. I took a treat that came from the only thing I remember my mother actually baking when I grew up.
My dish was adjusted from the original and plated beautifully. When I was young every year at the holidays my mother made Walnut Kolachi. Then I tried a version at a bakery in New Hampshire that was filled with chocolate instead of walnuts. I couldn’t tell you what it was called or how he made it but I loved it. I would buy it every time I had the chance.
After moving away, I thought about it often. Then I got brave and started experimenting with the filling. For the audition I made a Chocolate Hazelnut Kolachi, a Caramel Hazelnut Crumble, Hazelnuts coated in Caramel and a Mascarpone Cream. All my taste testers at home loved this dish.
I had a front of the line pass and was not anticipating a long wait. There were more than 40 people that received those passes. I was wrong. However, I did not have to wait as long as the people without a pass. I had the number 14. They let people in from each side of the line and I heard there were over 100 brave souls on the other side of the line.
It was a slightly drizzly day. My husband stood with me and gave me loads of encouragement.
After about 2 1/2 hours I got to go inside and plate up. There were about 12 of us in this room, a few tasting judges, and some of the casting staff. We had 3 minutes to plate our dish. Everyone was nervous. Everyone was talking! The room was loud and chaotic.
The first thing was to have our picture taken with our dish and our name so they could identify us later. My tasting judge came next. She (I have no idea what her name was) greeted me and asked me a couple questions. She cut off a bite of my Kolachi and tasted it. She asked me a few more questions but I could barely hear her and I felt like I was shouting to give her my answers. She gave no feedback on the taste.
Next came two of the casting staff asking me questions. It was just as hard to hear them. I still felt like I was shouting.
This was done with all the people auditioning simultaneously. Like chaos! I tried to listen to everyone else and see what they were saying. I saw a beautiful braided challah loaf that I would have loved to taste. It was perfect!
Suddenly everyone left the room and we were all standing there waiting. They told us we could clean up and put everything away except our plated dish. They returned several minutes later and gave three names. Not mine! I was dismissed.
I felt like I failed miserably at the audition. I’m soft spoken. Crowded rooms are hard for me to deal with. I have incredible hearing and everyone talking at once made my head spin. I know my dish was delicious. But, I’m not a dramatic person and I have no crazy story of my life.
There has been silence from the casting of the CBS Baking Show. I can bake! I’m really good at it and I love to try new recipes. If they want to put a show out about people who can bake, like The Great British Bake Off, then I’m it. If they want to put a show our about drama, not me.
I’d love the challenge. Whoever gets selected I wish you the best of luck!
Oh, the recipe for this dish and how to make it? It’s reserved for my published cookbook since it’s my specialty dish!
