The GBBO Winner Reddit Affectionately Calls 'The Eeyore Of Bake Off'
Back in 2016, Dr. Rahul Mandal said via Instagram that he had never made a cake. By 2018, he was baking with pros on the "Great British Bake Off" and impressing the judges with his creations. Even more noteworthy than the food he created was the ability of Mandal to connect with the show's audience.
Mandal is a nuclear researcher at the University of Sheffield, which might explain why he had such a shy, awkward, modest manner when he appeared on GBBO. His quiet, unassuming manner, combined with his ability to make cakes so good that often reserved judge Paul Hollywood called him "a little genius" (via Facebook), made him immensely popular on the show. He even managed to get attention when he wasn't doing anything anyone expected. A YouTube clip of him showing that he had no idea how to handle a fist bump received thousands of views and is the perfect example of how the often anxious nuclear scientist turned baker can be charismatic in the gentlest way possible.
Though he never seemed quite at home in the limelight, now the man called by The Irish Times and Reddit the "Eeyore of Bake Off" is releasing a new cookbook.
Social media is thrilled with Rahul Mandal's newest cake book
Dr. Rahul Mandal, the winner of "The Great British Bake Off" in 2018, has now released a cookbook called "Showstopping Cakes." Though why it's not called the "science of baking," which was his catchphrase from GBBO, is a mystery. Even when crafting a social media message, Mandal is perpetually humble and thoughtful. "This is my first cookbook or should I say cakebook! It is extremely exciting (you can count all my teeth), and a bit nerve-wracking!" (per Instagram).
Naturally, most visitors to his page were ecstatic about the book. One person jumped on Reddit to express their adulation for the mild baker, writing, "I love Rahul. He reminds me of the old Droopy Dog character and I always imagined him looking into the camera going, 'Hello all you happy people.'" Another person cracked wise, stating, "I feel so bad for his editor. 'How's the book coming?' 'It's ... okay. I don't know. Maybe if I had more time...' 'Rahul it's been 4 years.'" It seems that fans still love Mandal's personality, and even with all that he's accomplished, it's truly a driving force behind his brand and how he connects with fans.