Everything you need to know about the expert judges in Channel 4’s Great British Bake Off spin-off.
Fans of The Great British Bake Off are being well and truly taken care of as yet another baking series makes it way to Channel 4. Bake Off: The Professionals will make its return tonight (Monday 10th June), with a new group of 12 pastry chefs hoping to prove they are the very beat.
The spin-off of the beloved Great British Bake Off forgoes the tent, hosts Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith, and the bunch of baking amateurs for a luxurious kitchen, professional chefs and two different judges holding them to extremely high standards.
Since the show was introduced, Cherish Finden and Benoit Blin have helmed the judges positions and will be back once more, tasking the chefs with difficult challenges over the coming weeks.
As the new series kicks off, here’s everything you need to know about the expert judges on Bake Off: The Professionals.
Who is Bake Off: The Professionals judge Cherish Finden?
Hailing from Singapore, Cherish began cooking for her family at a young age and soon realised she would like to take it up professionally. She worked at some of Singapore’s most prestigious hotels, including the six-star Raffles Hotel, before moving to London in 2001. In her first year in a new city she won ‘Dessert of the Year’, a competition that she now judges.
Cherish worked as Executive Pastry Chef at the Langham Hotel in the British capital and has won numerous international awards and medals for her tasty creations. She was even part of the Singapore team that won a gold medal at the 2000 Culinary Olympics in Germany.
So with such an incredible CV, it’s unsurprising that she doesn’t settle for second best. Cherish is known for her frank critiques of the contestants, which have caused a few tears along the way, but she simply can’t tolerate anything that’s not perfect. That’s why she gets her ruler out to check the size of even the smallest bakes.
At least you know that if she compliments your food, it really must be outstanding!
Cherish also makes a special effort to make sure the challenges are testing but not unfair – she tries them out at home before each season begins so that she knows it’s possible to complete them to a good standard in the allotted time.
You can find her on both X/Twitter and Instagram.
Who is Bake Off: The Professionals judge Benoit Blin?
Frenchman Benoit has worked as a Chef Pâtissier at Raymond Blanc’s two star Michelin restaurant for over 20 years. If that wasn’t enough to convince you he knows his stuff, he’s also achieved the title of MCA (Master of Culinary Arts) – which is only awarded every four years to the best pastry chefs in the UK and is seen as the industry’s highest accolade.
Benoit is also something of an experienced judge – as well as appearing in the previous seasons of this show, he’s judged prestigious events such as the UK Pastry Open, UK and European Sugar Championships, National Chef of the Year, British Culinary Federation Chef Competition and the Master of Culinary Arts Finals. The contestants would certainly be foolish not to take his criticism on board.
Benoit is passionate about pastry and will not accept excuses if he tastes anything that isn’t up to scratch. Cherish has the reputation for being the harsher judge but you wouldn’t want to present a burnt meringue to Benoit either, trust us!
You can find him on X/Twitter and Instagram.
What is Bake Off: The Professionals?
The series, formerly called Bake Off: Creme de la Creme, is the sister show of The Great British Bake Off.
Instead of testing home bakers, this spin-off series welcomes the country’s most eminent pastry chefs and pushes them to their limits. Teams of two chefs represent hotels, cookery schools and culinary institutions and bravely put their professional reputations on the line.
The challenges demand delicate, uniform, gorgeously presented petit fours and the judges will accept nothing less than perfection – so expect a few meltdowns when things go awry!
Bake Off: The Professionals begins on Monday 10th June at 8pm on Channel 4.
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