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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This week Lisa and Cristina are joined by GCBS Season 9 finalist Ryan Gridzak for a reflective, honest conversation about his journey on the Great Canadian Baking Show and everything that came after. We talk about the application process, the reality of filming, and how much time has passed since stepping out of the tent, along with what it feels like to look back on the experience with perspective. Ryan shares what the show meant to him, in the connections formed; the confidence gained; and the once in a lifetime nature of being part of something so special.

A steelworker from Sault Ste. Marie, Ryan may have seemed like an unexpected choice for the show, but week after week, his skill at baking and decorating surpassed all expectations. Ryan explains how much learning happens behind the scenes, from researching unfamiliar techniques to developing backup plans under pressure, and why surviving each week felt like its own victory. We talk about format dreams, technical challenges, favorite bakes, judging realities, and the limitations of television when it comes to showing the full scope of a baker’s creativity.

The conversation widens into life beyond the show, touching on parenting, family, and the huge support his wife and family gave him throughout his time preparing for and being on the show. This conversation about balancing ambition with family life, the joy of milestones, and how his relationship with baking continues to evolve, is a great start to a brand new Baking Scraps season.

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This episode brings together three incredible Bake Off champions for a lively, heartfelt, and wonderfully nerdy deep dive into the world of competitive baking. Lisa and Cristina are joined by Peter Sawkins, winner of Great British Bake Off 2020, Laura Foo, winner of Great Australian Bake Off 2023, and Loïc Fauteux-Goulet, winner of Great Canadian Baking Show 2023. Each baker shares the winding path that led them to their respective tents, from Loïc discovering his passion through late-night Bake Off marathons, to Laura’s roots in Singaporean home baking and her pandemic baking adventures, to Peter becoming utterly captivated by the show at age ten.

The bakers compare the unique rhythms of their different franchises, reflecting on the pressure, the unpredictability, and the strange comfort of baking under the watchful eye of a production crew. Together they recount the chaos, the camaraderie, the victories, the disasters, and the moments when everything just seemed to magically work in the tent (or shed!).

By the end, the trio has formed a cross-continental pact: an international baking challenge club designed to push each other’s limits in the most joyful way possible.

This conversation is warm, generous, and full of insights for bakers of every level. Whether you are a Bake Off fan, a home baker, or just someone who loves hearing passionate people talk about the craft they adore, this episode will make you smile.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.