Thoa Nguyen didn’t get her hopes up when she first heard from a casting agent about participating in Food Network’s “Holiday Baking Championship.”
The owner of Aurora’s popular Banh & Butter Bakery Cafe, at 9935 E. Colfax Ave., had already been turned down by a competition show two years prior, and “I was heartbroken when they sent me home without warning,” she said.
But when Nguyen got the call last spring to hop a plane to Burbank, California, and film the first episode of season 10 of Food Network’s “Holiday Baking Championship,” a baking competition hosted by former Bachelor and NFL quarterback Jesse Palmer, her hesitation dissipated.
“I’ll do whatever I need to bring some attention to my team and business, even put myself on national television in a vulnerable spot to secure their livelihood and jobs,” Nguyen said.
The first episode aired on Monday, Nov. 6., when Nguyen, who opened Banh & Butter last year, competed against 11 other bakers in two challenges. For the Pre-heat challenge, the bakers had to create cinnamon rolls inspired by seasonal coffee flavors.
“Once I walked into that kitchen, I felt like an amateur baker,” she said. “I felt like it was anyone’s game, no matter how much experience you have.”
Nguyen’s flavor was a smoked butterscotch latte, and she decided to showcase her Asian culture with a milk bun with a coffee-flavored diplomat cream filming, a smoked butterscotch glaze and chocolate on top.
“I really wanted to think outside the bun, since I knew everyone would make a cinnamon roll. So for the first dessert I had to bring on my Asian-fusion twist as an introduction for the judges,” she said.
The Englewood native scored high praise from the celebrity judges – chef Carla Hall, pastry chef Duff Goldman and chef Nancy Fuller – for her creativity. But she fell short as the winner.
Next up, the bakers had to create a Thanksgiving-themed Swiss roll. Nguyen’s Swiss roll used chocolate cake and a spiced berry jam filling, which she said was inspired by the cranberry jam she makes for her sisters every Thanksgiving. She decorated the yule log with turkeys made out of choux pastry dough, but they ended up looking more like swans, according to the judges.
This dessert was less successful for the judges, who said the cake was a bit too crumbly for their liking. Fuller added that the jam was too tart. And it nearly sent Nguyen home.
“I focused too much on the execution, and it came back to bite me,” Nguyen said. “I probably would have done more of a chantilly cream filling with the cranberry, but I wouldn’t have changed the jam, even if it was too tart for Nancy Fuller.”
Nguyen ended up in the bottom two for her Swiss roll, but evaded elimination in the end. “The judges’ criticism had nothing on what I’ve heard from my family,” she joked. She will go on to compete against the remaining bakers, but wouldn’t spill any spoilers on whether she makes it through all seven of the next episodes, which air every Monday.
“I would have hated to be the first to be eliminated and not be able to showcase what I know I can do well,” Nguyen said. “I know that I’m more than one bad execution, and I have a lot to offer. There’s so much more I wanted to share in this competition.”
