Kids Baking Championship Season 10: Info We Know So Far
Cooking competition shows are fun to watch, but there's something even more special about a show where all the contestants are children. Preteen chefs tend to make even the hot-tempered Gordon Ramsay treat competitors with empathy and respect, as anyone who has watched his "MasterChef Junior" can attest. Another prime example of a show that supports kids who are trying to be their best selves in the kitchen is "Kids Baking Championship." The show features 10-to-13-year-olds (via IMDb) who know their way around a kitchen better than a lot of adults ever will. The most recent season concluded in February, with a 12-year-old from Idaho winning the $25,000 prize (although he must wait until he's 18 to receive it), per East Idaho News.
It's been five months since new episodes of "Kids Baking Championship" aired, and fans are ready for more. On Twitter, @radreynna let everyone know her preference: "kids cooking competitions >>>>> adult cooking competitions." She added in a separate tweet that she's been watching "Kids Baking Championship" specifically, adding that "it's addicting." (You can stream any season of the show on Discovery+ right now, and Food Network's website indicates the network is currently airing Season 7.) When will Twitter's "rad Reynna" and the rest of the "Kids Baking Championship" fanbase get the chance to tune in to Season 10? And who will be the adults charged with guiding the contestants and judging their creations?
Who will judge Season 10 of 'Kids Baking Championship?'
Let's tackle the easy question first. Valerie Bertinelli and Duff Goldman have hosted "Kids Baking Championship" since the beginning, according to IMDb. There's absolutely no reason to think they won't both be back for Season 10. Neither Food Network nor the two longtime hosts have announced anything officially, but the network did post a fun, two-minute video of Bertinelli and Goldman on the "Kids Baking Championship" webpage and labeled it "Season 10, Episode 1."
The video doesn't really have anything to do with the first episode of the next season, but it strongly suggests that Bertinelli and Goldman are returning as judges and hosts. In the video, the duo plays several rounds of the question-and-answer game "Sometimes, Always, Never." When they are asked about eating raw cookie dough while making cookies, both respond with an enthusiastic "always!"
"Sometimes, the cookies don't even get into the oven," Goldman says. (Bertinelli offers a quick disclaimer about eating raw dough: "Always be careful.")
What is the release date for Season 10 of 'Kids Baking Championship?'
Food Network hasn't announced a release date for the new season of "Kids Baking Championship." But the show did post a casting call on Facebook back in March, seeking Season 10 contestants. The show's casting webpage reports tentative filming dates in June and July of this year. If the show is keeping to this schedule, then we can expect Season 10 to premiere before the end of the year.
In an interview with East Idaho News, Season 9 winner Keaton Ashton said he participated in a boot camp and then about five weeks of filming during August and September of 2020. Season 9 premiered on December 28, 2020, per IMDb. Given this year's tentative shooting schedule, Season 10 could debut at the end of October, but that's mere speculation. The network, of course, will decide where and when Season 10 of "Kids Baking Championship" fits with everything else it has going on in late 2021. That said, we don't think it's overly optimistic to keep our eyes peeled for an official announcement in the near future.
Incidentally, Food Network UK announced on Twitter that a new season of "Kids Baking Championship" airs on that side of the Atlantic on July 23, but the video shows scenes from episodes that have already aired in the U.S.
What challenges will young bakers face on 'Kids Baking Championship' Season 10?
If you think Valerie Bertinelli and Duff Goldman will throw a bunch of softballs at the young bakers during the challenges in the upcoming season of "Kids Baking Championship," think again. The judges never really go easy on the contestants. For instance, the online Food Network listings indicate the kids had to make macarons in Season 6 — a notoriously tricky dessert (via Agnes de Sucre). You can count on Season 10 to keep the degree of difficulty at a level appropriate for the competitors' always-impressive skill level.
Each season always has at least one "imposter" challenge, too, where bakers must create desserts disguised as savory dishes. In Season 7, the imposter challenge involved making dessert-y shish kebab, sushi, and other international dishes, according to Food Network's episode summary. The kids regularly face animal-themed challenges, too. Recent seasons featured unicorn and hedgehog designs. What the Season 10 animal might be is anybody's guess. The contestants might also anticipate a flavor challenge in Season 10, similar to the Chinese five-spice episode in Season 9 or the freaky flavor episode in Season 6, where kids incorporated things like curry, jalapeño, or blue cheese into their bakes.
But honestly, "Kids Baking Championship" wouldn't be as fun to watch if viewers knew the challenges ahead of time. It's better to go into the show with a sense of childlike wonder.