DUFF GOLDMAN AND VALERIE BERTINELLI SWEETEN NEW KID COMPETITION SERIES KIDS BAKING CHAMPIONSHIP

“Duff Goldman and Valerie Bertinelli are the perfect hosts of Kids Baking Championship. Their charisma, boundless enthusiasm and unwavering encouragement expertly lead these young competitors through the obstacles and challenges of the baking championship,” said Bob Tuschman, General Manager and Senior Vice President Programming, Food Network.

Kids Baking Championship contestants include: Caroline Binkley (Delaware, Ohio; age 13), Annika Coffman (Boise, Idaho; age 12), Jackson Fujimori (Torrance, California; age 11), Hollis Johnson (Jacksonville, Florida; age 13), Payton Pelaez (San Francisco, California; age 10), Anthony Smith (Rochester, New York; age 11), Cody Vasquez (Gilbert, Arizona; age 12), and Natalie Venable (Thousand Oaks, California; age 11).

Episodes include:

Premiering Monday, February 2^nd at 8pm ET/PT
“Bake Sale”
For the kick off to the Kids Baking Championship, the eight kid bakers are hard at work to serve up two delicious signature items for a bake sale. Midway through the challenge, hosts Duff Goldman and Valerie Bertinelli reveal that the kids must also make a third item using the classic childhood flavor combination – peanut butter and jelly. Two kid bakers will melt under the pressure and will be sent home.

Premiering Monday, February 9^th at 8pm ET/PT
“Dessert Imposters”
In this challenge, the kid bakers are asked to create dessert imposters – a sweet treat masquerading as a savory item. How convincingly will the bakers be able to make delicious sweets that look like pizza, spaghetti, tacos and bagels? Half way through the challenge, Duff announces a surprising twist. The kid bakers must also create an imposter side dish to accompany their main dessert, in order to slice the competition.

Premiering Monday, February 16^th at 8pm ET/PT
“Stuffed Puffs”
In this episode, the kid bakers must make two dozen puff pastry desserts. While hard at work creating the dough and delicious fillings for their stuffed puffs, hosts Duff Goldman and Valerie Bertinelli announce a savory twist. The kids must use the secret savory ingredient in at least one dozen of their treats. Only four bakers will grease the competition and advance to the final round.

Premiering Monday, February 23^rd at 8pm ET/PT
“Celebration Cake”
The four remaining kid bakers are tasked with a massive challenge for the finale: create a celebration cake for the moment they win, along with baked party gifts that complement their cake in flavor and design. One kid baker will be crowned Kids Baking Champion, and take home the $10,000 prize.

After graduating from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, with degrees in history and philosophy, Duff Goldman went on to study at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena, California. He worked at several acclaimed culinary destinations, including French Laundry, Vail Cascade Hotel and Todd English’s Olives before returning to Baltimore to become a personal chef. In March 2002, he opened Charm City Cakes, and it soon became a household name on the hit Food Network show Ace of Cakes, which aired for 10 seasons. Goldman served as a judge on Holiday Baking Championship and has also appeared on Donut Showdown. He has also been featured in episodes of The Best Thing I Ever At, Iron Chef America, Food Network Star, Diners, Drive-Ins and Drives, Cupcake Wars, and Chopped. In 2011, Duff was nominated for two James Beard Foundation awards for Best TV Food Personality/Host and Best Television Program.  In addition to owning and operating Charm City Cakes, Charm City Cakes West and Duff’s Cake Mix, Goldman is also a sculptor, artist, and musician, and has an affinity for wearing his signature hockey jerseys.

Two-time Golden Globe^® award-winning actress, Valerie Bertinelli, first became a household name for her role as Barbara on CBS’ long-running series, One Day At A Time. Over the years, hercareer has expanded to include television personality, spokesperson and best-selling New York Times author of Losing It, Finding It: And Satisfying My Hunger for Life Without Opening the Fridge and One Dish At A Time. Bertinelli has also helped develop, produce and star in several television movies and mini-series. She currently stars as Melanie Moretti in TV Land’s critically-acclaimed sitcom Hot in Cleveland. In August 2012, Bertinelli received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Find behind-the-scenes photos, kids casting videos, host interviews and more on FoodNetwork.com/BakingChampionship. Fans can also join the baking banter on Twitter using #BakingChampionship.

Kids Baking Championship is produced by Triage Entertainment.

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