Great British Bake Off episode 10 2023 – The Final – The 2023 season of the Great British Bake Off reaches its thrilling climax in episode 10, aptly titled “The Final.” In this grand finale, the cream of the crop, our talented finalists, embark on a gastronomic journey that will test their baking prowess to the limit. The episode unfurls with a delectable pastry Signature challenge, where each contestant must blend skill, creativity, and personal flair to impress the discerning judges. The air in the tent buzzes with anticipation as buttery aromas and the clatter of baking trays set the stage.
The suspense thickens with the sticky Technical challenge, a true testament to the bakers’ adaptability and precision under pressure. Here, they face the daunting task of replicating a complex recipe with minimal guidance, their efforts veiled in mystery until the final reveal. The tension is palpable as each baker strives for perfection, knowing that even the smallest misstep could tilt the scales.
Finally, the showstopping celebration cake becomes the arena where dreams are either realized or deferred. This is the moment where each finalist must pull out all the stops, merging technique, innovation, and artistic expression to create a masterpiece worthy of the Bake Off crown. The ovens are ablaze with ambition, and the tent is a canvas for culinary artistry, as each contestant pours their heart and soul into their creation.
Amidst the flour-dusted drama, a vital question lingers: Whose choux will pave their way to victory? Who will rise to the occasion and be adorned with the coveted title of Bake Off 2023 winner? This episode is not just a display of baking excellence; it’s a celebration of resilience, creativity, and the sweet taste of success. Join us for a mesmerizing finale that promises to be both mouth-watering and heart-warming, as we crown the champion of the fourteenth season.
Great British Bake Off episode 10 2023 – The Final
The finalists make a pastry Signature, a sticky Technical and a showstopping celebration cake. Whose choux will see them through to be crowned Bake Off 2023 winner?
Paul Hollywood’s Journey to Becoming a Bake Off Judge
Paul Hollywood has become a familiar face and name to fans of The Great British Bake Off. His steely blue eyes and rugged good looks have made him a heartthrob. And his intricate knowledge of baked goods, as well as his exacting judging style, have cemented his status as a Bake Off icon. However, Paul’s route to Bake Off judge was neither quick nor straightforward.
In the early days of his career, Hollywood was focused wholeheartedly on being an artisanal baker. He trained under his father, who ran a bakery business. Subsequently, Paul embarked on a career baking bread at high-end hotels in Cairo, Egypt and Cyprus. During this time, he learned intricate techniques for perfecting crusty loaves and mastered recipes for various regional breads.
Upon returning to the UK, Hollywood began working in his father’s bakery again. He earned recognition for producing outstanding baked goods, winning multiple awards at the National Bread Competition. As his reputation grew, Hollywood was offered more television opportunities to showcase his baking on programs like Good Food Live and The Heaven and Earth Show.
His appeal to TV producers and audiences lay in his passion for bread, attention to detail, and ability to explain baking concepts. Viewers enjoyed his simple, straightforward approach to teaching recipes. Over time, Hollywood’s media profile expanded.
When Love Productions was seeking judges for a new baking reality show in 2010, Paul Hollywood seemed destined for the role. His technical know-how was unmatched. Having judged baking competitions in the past, Paul brought experience reviewing standards and quality control. This made him the ideal foil forBake Off co-judge Mary Berry, who represented home baking. And the rest, as they say, is history!
Prue Leith’s Journey Before Joining The Bake Off
With her platinum blonde hair, larger-than-life accessories, and savvy business success, Prue Leith brings a glamorous presence to The Great British Bake Off. But she also boasts an illustrious career spanning catering, cookbook writing, journalism, and more. This wide-ranging experience prepared her perfectly for the Bake Off tent.
Leith’s food industry story began in 1969 when she started a tiny lunch venue in London, which blossomed into Leith’s Good Food. This Michelin-starred restaurant and catering company was favored by royalty, celebrities, and politicians alike for its excellent fine dining and impeccable service. Expanding over the years into a world-class hospitality business, Leith ultimately sold Leith’s in 1995.
After stepping back from the hospitality sphere, Prue focused her efforts on broadcasting and writing. She contributed columns to newspapers and magazines sharing culinary knowledge and tips. Leith also regularly appeared on radio and TV programs like This Morning and Great British Menu to judge dishes and test recipes.
Additionally, Leith authored many bestselling cookbooks over the years, translating her expertise with fine dining and flavor combinations onto the page. Titles like Prue Leith Cookery Course and Leith’s Cookery Bible established her as a leading voice in accessible home cooking.
By the time Leith was brought on board Bake Off in 2017, she boasted immense experience with judging quality cuisine, conveying cooking advice, writing recipes, and speaking on air. These assets enabled a seamlessly natural transition into the Bake Off family where her amiable charm, honesty, and laughter have delighted audiences worldwide. And her phenomenal palate continues evaluating Bake Off concoctions with finesse and wisdom.
Dan Hunter’s Rise in Baking From Fat Duck to Bake Off
With his fiery red hair, matching beard, and passion for bold combinations of flavors, Dan Hunter brings an explosive energy to The Great British Bake Off tent. But his path to Bake Off 2023 has been defined by years of pushing boundaries and reinventing expectations in the realms of baking and cooking.
Hunter first stepped into the spotlight working under renowned chef Heston Blumenthal at his world-famous, Michelin starred restaurant called The Fat Duck. As the head baker there, Hunter explored the science behind modifying textures and tastes to create showstopping breads, pastries, and desserts. He relished opportunities to incorporate unusual ingredients like pine or hay into his baked creations. Hunter quickly made a name for himself with his ability to balance unorthodox mixes with refined technique.
After spending four formative years at The Fat Duck, Hunter decided to move halfway across the globe – from England to Australia. He became head chef of the Brae restaurant situated in regional Victoria and switched focus onto hyper-seasonal dishes and minimal waste methodology. However, baked goods remained one of the backbones of Hunter’s output. He continued crafting beautiful bread and integrating creative fermenting into foods. Hunter’s novel tasting menu approach earned Brae the reputation as one of the world’s top 50 restaurants.
With this success, along with a slew of awards and a global profile as an innovator, Hunter attracted the attention of Bake Off producers. They felt his unique style would make for excellent viewing and introduce avant-garde elements into Bake Off challenges. During contract negotiations, Hunter did make some special requests relating to the types of ovens available in the tent. But ultimately, his maverick energy won producers over.
Now featuring as a 2023 season Bake Off contestant, Hunter has quickly become renowned for his unexpected flavor combinations, scientific prowess, and wonderfully quirky personality bubbling with creative spontaneity. Regardless of the final competition outcome, there’s no doubt Hunter has and will continue conquering the worlds of baking and cooking alike!
Josh Smalley’s Winding Road to Great British Bake Off episode 10 2023
Youthful and enthusiastic, 23-year-old Josh Smalley is one of the youngest amateur bakers ever to make it onto The Great British Bake Off. And his presence seems especially surprising given his previous jobs were far removed from the kitchen. So how did Smalley suddenly switch tracks to end up on Britain’s favorite baking show?
In his late teens and early 20s, Smalley worked in retail and hospitality roles to pay the bills. None of his occupations were specifically food-related. However, Smalley did have a long-held passion for recreational baking, having grown up watching cooking shows on TV and helping his mum in the kitchen. This hobby was more of a creative outlet amidst unfulfilling jobs.
Smalley mostly kept his baking skills limited to making treats for friends and family gatherings. But during the 2020 Covid lockdowns, he suddenly found himself stuck at home with much more free time. Smalley began testing recipes more frequently, documenting results on Instagram and TikTok. Positive feedback drove him to expand his baking education through books, online tutorials, and experimental attempts.
Within 18 months, Smalley demonstrated clear talent and technique on par with professionals. His social media profiles racked up thousands more followers. Encouraged by this success, close friends urged Smalley to abandon his regular job and pursue baking full-time. He decided to take a leap of faith, quitting stability to focus wholly on his newfound passion.
This career 180 involved enrolling in formal training courses, offering his services as a wedding cake baker, pitching articles to digital publications, and continuing an active presence producing baking videos. Smalley also took every chance he could to learn from established industry experts. His drive and dedication to upskilling captured Bake Off scouts’ attention – leading them to invite this diamond in the rough into the 2023 tent.
Now with a national platform thanks to Bake Off, the baking world is Josh Smalley’s oyster. Regardless of competition outcome, his odds of rising up the culinary ranks seem ever in his favor. Smalley is certainly proof that you don’t need decades of experience to qualify as Bake Off material!
Matty Edgell’s Winding Path from Teacher to Bake Off
With his charming smile and obvious care for nurturing talent in others, Matty Edgell comes across as a natural teacher. Thus viewers may be surprised to learn Matty’s previous career was as a primary school teacher rather than a chef. So how did this aptitude for working with young minds translate into Bake Off recognition?
Matty originally trained and worked as a teacher for early education. He thoroughly enjoyed passing on knowledge to pupils, encouraging their creativity, and helping them gain confidence in learning. However, after nearly a decade as a school teacher, Edgell felt increasingly fatigued by stresses of the job.
Seeking a new creative outlet upon leaving teaching, Matty began baking more recreationally as a form of relaxation. Finding the process therapeutic, he started experimenting with more complex recipes and techniques. Edgell also joined a Facebook group to share his hobby experiences and get tips from fellow home bakers.
When members of the Facebook group expressed interest in learning from Matty directly, he had the idea to begin hosting baking classes for adults looking to pick up a new skill. Starting off with small gatherings in his home kitchen, Matty focused sessions on achievable wins like decorating cupcakes or making French macarons.
Popularity for Matty’s classes grew thanks to his natural ability to explain methods, reassure students, and make the process engaging. Soon participants were urging him to rent proper workshop spaces so more pupils could attend. Within 2 years Matty had grown his part-time classes into a thriving business called Show Me How To Bake.
Classes expanded across genres like patisserie, cake design, and artisan bread. Matty’s stellar reputation even led to collaborations with brands like Lakeland kitchenware. Of course such success inevitably attracted Bake Off attention – allowing Matty to showcase teaching abilities on an even greater scale! And his pupils couldn’t be prouder of their master mentor making his mark.
Tasha Stones Catalyzes Community Change Through Baking
In her early 30s, Tasha Stones has already made an impressive impact supporting vulnerable groups in her community. This drive to uplift others discovered an effective avenue thanks to Stones’ passion for baking. Now showcasing her pastry prowess and generous spirit on Bake Off 2023, Tasha hopes to spread her community ethos nationwide.
Tasha first tapped into baking as a useful skill while volunteering at homeless shelters in her hometown of Plymouth. Attending to the area’s transient community, she realized access to wholesome meals was often unreliable for those living rough. Tasha began organizing weekly bake sales donating proceeds to the shelters. But she also used these sessions to teach interested individuals basic cooking techniques that could facilitate self-sufficiency.
Additionally, Tasha spent time baking with disenfranchised single parents who couldn’t afford expensive childcare options. By supervising kids decorating cookies and cupcakes, parents could briefly focus on their own hobbies and wellbeing. Tasha saw how baking coaxed smiles even during immensely stressful situations for these moms and dads.
The impact witnessed first-hand in her region is what motivated Tasha to establish Baking for Change – a non-profit focused on spreading the therapeutic benefits of baking to marginalized groups nationwide. Thanks to fame from appearing on GBBO 2023, Tasha now has an even bigger platform to scale her operation and make an impact across Britain. Just like her puff pastry rises to impressive heights, this change agent’s community influence looks set to do the same!
Cristy Sharp Pursues Baking Dreams After Personal Assistant Life
With her stylish outfits and outgoing demeanor, Cristy Sharp seems destined for reality TV fame. Yet she spent years in the relative shadows as a personal assistant before discovering a latent talent and passion for baking – leading her towards the Bake Off tent in 2023!
For over a decade, Cristy worked for the same high-powered female executive in central London. Her days involved managing a non-stop schedule of meetings and appointments, liaising with contacts on her boss’ behalf, and keeping everything flowing smoothly amidst chaos.
The role required tireless effort and demanded so much energy that Cristy rarely baked more than the odd birthday cake for friends. However upon hitting 30, she assessed her life and had a quarter-life crisis reckoning that she’d prioritized work accomplishments over personal fulfillment for too long. Cristy realized she desperately needed a creative outlet beyond office walls.
When her boss retired and Cristy found herself unemployed, she had space to breathe and reflect on what brought her genuine joy. Recalling cherished memories baking biscuits with her grandmother as a little girl, Cristy tapped back into that nostalgia. She began recreating childhood favorites like ginger snaps and shortbread cookies, eventually expanding repertoire via YouTube tutorials.
As Cristy shared samples with friends and neighbors, their effusive praise confirmed she had more than rudimentary skills. After months of winning informal bake-offs within her social circle, Cristy took the leap of launching her own small bakery business from home. Quick successes here gave her confidence to apply for Britain’s favorite baking television program.
Now Cristy represents so many aspirants chasing delayed dreams and choosing fulfillment over the tried and tested. Regardless whether she’s crowned 2023 Bake Off champion, there’s no doubt we’ve not seen the last of this inspiring star baker! The future looks very bright for her bakes and cakes indeed.
Dana Conway Engineers a Career Change Thanks to Sugar & Spice
With her quirky fashion sense, colorful hair and funky glasses, viewers could be forgiven for assuming Dana Conway has always been a creative type. Yet her background lies instead in analytical data and computer programming. Only more recently did Dana discover a latent talent for baking after teaching herself the science behind perfect recipes.
For over 15 years, Dana established expertise as a database architect primarily creating back end systems. Although companies relied heavily on her solutions to input, access and translate complicated information, the job itself provided little stimulation beyond problem solving. Dana admired those with arts-oriented careers which brought a multifaceted set of challenges.
Attempting to incorporate more creativity into her life, Dana began experimenting with vegetarian cooking and baking on weekends for stress relief. Her engineering brain approached recipe development methodically by testing theories, adjusting inputs, and documenting quantified outcomes. Gradually a scientific approach revealed genuine skill for producing delectable sweet treats.
As Dana baked birthday cakes for friends and coworkers, their rave reviews emphasized natural talent surpassing hobbyist level. She showcased photographers’ interest too by styling dazzling captured images. Over months, a side project was transforming into a legitimate “food art” microbusiness.
When close Friends repeatedly insisted Dana ditch databases for baking blogs, she acknowledged a major career pivot was overdue. Quitting coding to open a small café remains Dana’s end goal. But bringing her sugar-fueled designs to the Bake Off tent provides an exciting start reconciling science and artistry on a public stage. And Dana’s the living embodiment that amazing bakers need not conform to tired stereotypes either!
Nicky Laceby Trades Pet Therapy for Cakes
With her kind eyes and gentle voice, viewers might assume Nicky Laceby has always cared for people professionally. But her previous vocational path involved furry friends rather than the human variety! Now Nicky channels the same warmth and patience she offered vulnerable pets into the ultimately more rewarding world of baking.
For over five years, Nicky volunteered with an animal therapy organization that facilitated visits to retirement homes and hospitals. As one of the group’s coordinators, Nicky would bring cats and dogs to spend rehabilitative time with elderly residents or at-risk youth. She adored witnessing pet interactions coaxing laughter and affection from people needing emotional comfort.
However the voluntary nature of the role meant Nicky still had to earn an income through her day job in accounts administration. As years passed, long hours sitting at a desk took a painful toll causing back problems. Facing the realization office work was unsustainable long-term, Nicky considered alternative pursuits better aligned to her interests.
Having always enjoyed home baking as a hobby, Nicky began dedicating more free time to testing recipes and decorating cakes. She shared the fruits of her kitchen labor by bringing sweet creations along to her pet therapy visits. The positive reception from residents and kids reinforced that Nicky had genuine talent worth pursuing further.
When a friend offered kitchen space at their café to run a trial bakery, Nicky knew opportunity was knocking. She quit her draining admin position without hesitation and launched a cottage baking industry. Starting small with custom cakes and specialty cookies, Nicky quickly accumulated devoted regulars. Positive word of mouth also brought one-off orders from cafes across the county.
Now just 18 months into her new baking career, Nicky hopes to grow ongoing business by leveraging TV exposure on The Great British Bake Off. Regardless of competition outcome, Nicky can return happy knowing she redirected career efforts to something far sweeter!
Conclusion – Great British Bake Off episode 10 2023
The Great British Bake Off 2023 has delivered another season showcasing remarkably diverse personalities and hidden talents in the tent. While judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith bring seasoned expertise to the table, it’s the eclectic mix of determined amateur bakers keeping audiences hooked and inspired.
As we’ve explored, Bake Off contestants arrive with backgrounds spanning unexpected realms like science, education and animal therapy. Yet latent creativity and a passion for baking can emerge from the most unlikely places when given the right spark. Now on a path towards new vocations centered around food, these contestants demonstrate it’s never too late to pursue forgotten dreams or explore hidden potential.
The next champion could emerge from any corner of the tent. Every series delivers surprises, upsets and triumph over adversity. Regardless of the finale outcome, there is undoubtedly great success on the horizon for many competitors chasing new career goals in baking.
So as we eagerly await the grand finale where Britain’s Star Baker 2023 will be crowned after weeks of tense competition, let’s wish all contestants the very best. May their unique stories and distinctive designs continue captivating the nation in kitchens nationwide – whether through cookbooks, blogs or bake shops! After all, the Bake Off tent often represents just the first step towards greatness.
FAQs – Great British Bake Off episode 10 2023: The Final
What kind of jobs did this year’s Great British Bake Off contestants have before applying for the show?
The 2023 GBBO features home baking enthusiasts from remarkably diverse career backgrounds including teaching, data analytics, pet therapy coordination and personal assistant roles – professions which might seem unrelated to cooking!
Why did some of the 2023 Bake Off contestants leave their previous jobs?
Some individuals like Matty and Nicky sought respite from stressful vocations causing burnout and health issues. Others including Cristy and Dana experienced quarter-life crises making them re-examine career fulfilment.
How did novice bakers with no professional experience qualify for Bake Off 2023?
Inexperienced bakers like Josh Smalley and Tasha Stones spent lockdown periods honing newfound cooking skills which they shared online gaining popularity and traction. Bake Off scouts noticed their talent and invited them to apply.
Many competitors have aspirations around publishing books, launching product ranges, opening bakeries or patisseries and hosting cooking classes. Others see TV fame as a launch pad towards humanitarian or entrepreneurial objectives around food.
How can amateur bakers get onto Bake Off in future years?
Applying involves filling in a detailed entry form and submitting photos plus videos demonstrating signature baking skills and style. Applicants must be 18 or older and should highlight what makes them unique. Standing out is key to be selected from thousands of entries!