Here's What Fans Really Think Of The New Great Kiwi Bake Off Judges
"The Great British Bake Off" has become an institution in the world of cooking competitions. It created the formula of two judges testing the baked goods of a dozen different people from a range of backgrounds and baking skills. Naturally, following the success of the British series, a few copies have found their way into other countries. One such emulator is the New Zealand baking competition, "The Great Kiwi Bake Off." It follows the same basic format as the original: a good-natured competition in which bakers of different skill levels vie to become "the next Great Kiwi Baker," as new judge Jordan Rondel told the New Zealand Herald.
As "The Great Kiwi Bake Off" begins its fourth season, fans will notice some changes to the show's cast. After three seasons of employing Sue Fleischl and Dean Brettschneider as judges, the show appears to have decided it was time to bring in some new faces to critique the bakers' soggy bottoms and molten muffins. A new presenter, comic Pax Assadi, was also brought on board to try to spice up the series with some new insights and chuckles. Joining Rondel as a new judge is Peter Gordon. While the duo might have solid baking chops, social media has critiqued that as judges, they have a long way to go.
Some fans want harsher judges
Fusion chef Peter Gordon is best known for his London and Auckland restaurants, per his website, but he has also penned eight cookbooks and co-founded a charity dinner event to fundraise for leukemia research. Bakery owner and cookbook author Jordan Rondel, AKA as The Caker by her fans, has been praised by numerous news outlets and celebrities for her upscale cake kits. While none can contend with the expertise that both "Kiwi Bake Off" judges bring, some people have a problem with their hosting abilities and have taken their discontent to the best place for unhappiness, social media.
"These new judges are waaay too nice," opined one Reddit commenter on a thread about the series. "Hoping they will find their feet over the next few episodes and have some constructive comments to make," they concluded. Though Gordon and Rondel may not be acerbic enough for everyone, another Redditor said they're "loving the new judges," while longtime fans are giving the series another chance to see if fresh faces can revitalize the show. "I was almost going to pass on this as it is my least favorite of all the BO's," said one commenter, adding that they would be sure to watch GKBO that night. "Sometimes shakeups like this work," offered another.