In this heartfelt episode of Baking Scraps, Lisa and Cristina sit down with The Great Australian Baking Show finalist Vanessa Furci for a conversation that is so much more than Bake Off.

Vanessa shares how her Italian heritage shaped her love of food, growing up cooking alongside her nonna in a garage kitchen filled with big tables, loud laughter, and even bigger flavours. Now a nurse working in oncology and a mom of two little ones, she opens up about how food connects generations, carries memory, and becomes a love language during both joyful and deeply difficult seasons of life.

We talk about the emotional story behind the Bake Off cookbook her nonna gifted her before she passed away, the surreal moment she received the acceptance call while at a Wiggles concert, and what it was like to film the series while raising babies at home. Vanessa opens up about juggling motherhood, auditions, hospital visits, intense technical challenges, and the unforgettable moment her family surprised her in the Grand Final.

This episode is about legacy, Italian traditions, blind dates that last seven hours, and marrying the guy you swore you never would.

Bring tissues. And maybe a biscuit.

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