The New Generation Of Baking Entertainment
Throughout the years there have been many trends in the food space. Here are the most notable changes by far.
In the early 2000s, baking shows portrayed baking in a completely different light. Popular TV stations like Food Network shadowed trained pastry chefs and bakery owners. As a result, home bakers fell in love with “Cake Wars”, “Holiday Baking Championship”, and “Cupcake Wars”. Over the years, baking competitions grew in popularity.
Though, before these competitions became more common, traditional baking shows were loved by many. Martha Stewart and Ina Garten inspired bakers across the nation. Viewers learned techniques that improved their skills. While chefs developed recipes for people to follow in their home kitchens, bakers tried to impress loved ones with new dishes.
However, home bakers were craving something new. There were countless traditional cooking shows to choose from. Of course, these shows shared the standard "formula" for network television.
Viewers would never see the other side of baking. Sometimes the kitchen becomes chaotic. Yet, the chaos and mistakes get edited out.
Eventually, people gravitated towards more authentic baking content. Bakers started posting content on YouTube. Subscribers saw the ups and downs of the process. It was relatable.
Over time it became more common to find recipes and tutorials online. This is one of the greatest shifts in baking media by far. The days of flipping through a magazine for inspiration have come and gone. Instead, bakers watch YouTube videos, read online food magazines, or check Pinterest.
In addition to online videos, baking competitions like "The Great British Bake Off" leaned into authenticity. Sometimes, bakers forget to turn off the oven. However, the worst disaster is a dessert breaking into pieces.
Moments like these made fans of the show more invested. Crossing their fingers and hoping for an excellent verdict from the judges. Most importantly, it serves as a reminder that even the greatest bakers make mistakes sometimes.
Both traditional and modern forms of baking entertainment are valuable. Sharing inspiration, creativity, and technique continues to ignite a strong passion for baking around the world.