Summary

• Winners of Spring Baking Championship often continue success post-show, advancing their careers.
• Past winners have opened their own bakeries, written cookbooks, and appeared on TV after the competition.
• Contestants compete for $25,000 and a feature in Food Network magazine, bringing intense competition.

Food Network has aired nine seasons of Spring Baking Championship, with the tenth season currently airing, and there's curiosity surrounding what the winners are up to today. The baking competition has been a favorite and one of the best reality TV shows since it started in 2015. Some of the country's best bakers and pastry chefs show off their amazing skills at creating unique flavors (often with twist ingredients they can’t plan for) and creating a work of edible art.

Contestants compete for the ultimate prize of $25,000 and a feature in Food Network magazine. The competitors try their hardest, and the baker sent home every week is visibly upset not to get the title and the prize. There are other spin-offs of the baking show available to watch, including Holiday Baking Championship and Halloween Baking Championship. On each show, the winners often experience success after the show. How have past winners used the televised win to their advantage?

Andy Chlebana

Spring Baking Championship Season 1 Winner

Andy Chlebana was the first-ever winner of the Spring Baking Championship. While Andy had a slow start in the competition, he really went for the win towards the end. In episode 5, Andy won the main heat challenge, where he and the other contestants had 90 minutes to make patriotic desserts with colors red, white, and blue. He also won the preliminary heat and main heat challenge in episode 6, the final episode, and took home the win and prize of $50,000.

biggest achievements of my professional career

Since his win, Andy has returned to his job as a professor and pastry chef at Joliet Junior College, which happily boasts about their professor’s win. In August 2022, Andy was a part of the Club Coupe du Monde Team USA, according to the Pastry Team USA website. In August 2023, Andy also received his Master Pastry Chef Certification. He said regarding his certification, “This is one of the biggest achievements of my professional career.” (via Joliet Junior College). Andy has continued his love of making desserts and pastries since his Spring Baking Championship win.

Jane Soudah

Spring Baking Championship Season 2 Winner

It was no shock when Jane Soudah took home the winning title and grand prize in the final episode of Spring Baking Championship season 2. Jane started winning challenges after episode 3, and it seems she was unstoppable until the end. During the final episode, Jane won the preliminary heat and main heat challenge, taking home the win and prize money.

After winning Spring Baking Championship season 2, Jane returned to her bakery, Sweet Jane’s Bakeshop, which is still thriving in 2024. She also wrote a dessert cookbook called Delightful Desserts, which can be found on Sweet Jane’s Bakeshop website. Although she's a chef, Jane has also appeared on Hallmark Channel’s Home & Family, sharing some of her recipes.

Jordan Pilarski

Spring Baking Championship Season 3 Winner

Jordan Pilarski, who first appeared on the board-game-turned-sweet-competition show Candy Land, hosted by Kristin Chenoweth, also started winning late in the game when he competed in Spring Baking Championship season 3. He began showing his skills after episode 3, winning a main heat challenge and did well from then on. Jordan took home the win and, of course, the grand prize.

After his win, Jordan continued to work at The Ritz-Carlton in Florida until June 2021, according to Jordan's LinkedIn. He left that giving for another pastry position at Alessia Patisserie and Cafe in Santa Monica, California, where he worked for almost two years. Now, Jordan works as an Executive Pastry Chef at Ojai Valley Inn in California. Jordan has also been in a relationship with a woman named Tori Fischer, who he's been dating since March 2020. They will be getting married in the next year.

Nacho Aguirre

Spring Baking Championship Season 4 Winner

Nacho Aguirre was neck and neck with fellow competitor Cristina Vazquez during their time on Spring Baking Championship season 4. However, Nacho came out superior and took home the win. He deserved the win, and Nacho has been busy since winning Spring Baking Championship season 4.

Since winning Spring Baking Championship season 4, Nacho has been asked back to appear on the Food Network, but this time he wasn't a competitor. In February 2020, Nacho was a judge for the Girl Scout Cookie Championship and later returned in November 2020 to judge Candy Land. (via Food Network). Nacho is also the owner of Delice Chocolatier San Antonio in Texas. Nacho has also been posting several delicious cake pictures on his Instagram and also updates his followers on his family.

Cory Barrett

Spring Baking Championship Season 5 Winner

Spring Baking Championship season 5 winner Cory Barrett had already spent his time on TV as a sous chef on 15 episodes of Iron Chef America before competing in the Spring Baking Championship. Cory had several wins during the start of the competition, so his win was no surprise. He took home the grand prize of $25,000.

After his win, he decided to take a break from TV. He returned to teaching at Kalamazoo Valley Community College and started his own consulting business, Chef Cory Barrett Consulting. Spring Baking Championship has given him a chance to build his brand and give back to the network, which made him famous, much like the other winners. Cory recently revealed on his Instagram that he's opening up a restaurant called Barrett's Midwest Bistro in Iowa, which opened on April 12.

Sohrob Esmaili

Spring Baking Championship Season 6 Winner

Sohrob Esmaili won the Spring Baking Championship season 6 in 2020. He had several wins throughout the season. However, he really shined in the end, taking home the grand prize and the title of winner. After appearing on the show, Sohrob was sadly unemployed for a while. However, he is now an executive pastry chef.

Sohrob got back on his feet in June 2022 and became a Pastry Chef at Hotel Per La in Los Angeles. But he only works there for five months. In March 2023, Sohrob got the position of Executive Pastry Chef at Superba Food+Bread in Venice, California. It's unclear whether his win on the hit baking competition show helped him secure new employment, but it certainly didn't hurt. Thankfully, he still has this illustrious position.

Keya Wingfield

Spring Baking Championship Season 7 Winner

Spring Baking Championship season 7 winner Keya Wingfield started strong in the competition. While she trailed behind in the middle, she ended strong and took home the winning title and the $25,000 grand prize. Since her win, Keya has experienced success as the owner, creator, and CEO of Candy Valley Desserts, Keya & Co Baking, and Keya’s Bombay Chip. Keya also continues to update her followers on Instagram about her life, success, and, of course, food.

Jaleesa Mason

Spring Baking Championship Season 8 Winner

Jaleesa Mason did well early on in the competition during Spring Baking Championship season 8. Similar to Keya, Jaleesa slowed down in the middle but made a comeback in the end. Jaleesa won the preliminary heat and main heat in the final episode and won the competition.

Now, Jaleesa owns Sweet Memories by Jaleesa, serving extract and dye-free sweet treats. They specialize in custom buttercream and fondant cakes, big or small, according to her website, SMJ Cakes. Despite her success, Jalessa has ed to her Instagram page since July 2023.

Luke Deardurff

Spring Baking Championship Season 9 Winner

The most recent winner, Luke Deardruff, took home the win during Spring Baking Championship season 9. While he won several challenges before his win, there was controversy surrounding Luke's win. However, the winner was based on who created the final best cake, and it was Luke.

Since then, Luke has been baking tasty edibles at his shop in New York called High End Bakery Edibles. The company even has its own Instagram, where fans can see what Luke offers. Judging from the page, Luke's desserts look delicious.

Overall, the competitors in the Spring Baking Championship seem to enjoy success in their careers after winning the show. While they're all different, these bakers have much to offer the culinary world. With Spring Baking Championship season 10 currently airing, the winner will be announced soon enough. Hopefully, more excellent bakers will come on the hit Food Network show.

Spring Baking Championship is available to stream on Discovery+.

Sources: Pastry Team USA, Joliet Junior College, Sweet Jane’s Bakeshop, Jordan/Instagram, Food Network, Nacho/Instagram, Cory/Instagram, Keya/Instagram, SMJ Cakes, Jalessa/Instagram, High End Bakery Edibles.