Iowa State Fair baking champ Eileen Gannon tests her pastry prowess on new Netflix show
Eileen Gannon won her first ribbons at the Iowa State Fair for her corn muffins and chocolate chip cookies when she was 12.
Gannon began competing in 1988 and went on a tear, winning more than 600 food contests at the Iowa State Fair and national food competitions. She learned her best recipes from her mother as she was growing up on a farm in Iowa.
She can give you tips on how to bake the perfect pie crust, make a red velvet cake that will catch the taste buds of fair judges, or how to ensure every monster cookie is identical.
She started her own business, Sunday Night Foods, the Des Moines-based premium chocolate dessert sauces company, in 2021 with three shelf-stable chocolate sauces that went on to win the Oscars of the specialty food world, a Sofi, in the dessert toppings category as part of the Specialty Food Association's 2024 Sofi Awards.
More: This Des Moines chocolate dessert sauce just won the Oscar of the specialty foods world
And now Gannon is taking on her next big challenge — reality television.
Gannon is one of 10 contestants on a new baking show on Netflix that pits blue ribbon winners at state fairs across the country against each other for a chance to win $100,000.
All eight episodes of “Blue Ribbon Baking Championship” go live on Netflix on Aug. 9, one day after the Iowa State Fair starts.
A trailer for the show, with actor Jason Biggs of “American Pie” fame hosting, shows pastry masters from California, Idaho, New Mexico, Wisconsin, Ohio and more ready to bake cakes, pies and cookies. “We scoured the nation for the best blue ribbon winning bakers from state fairs across America,” Biggs says in the trailer.
More: Dining with the stars: Meet the Iowa restaurants and chefs who appeared on reality TV
The show features Sandra Lee, the host of “Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee” and other baking shows, former White House pastry chef Bill Yosses, and Miami-based bread baker Bryan Ford. All three get to taste every dish and judge every morsel.
“We're going to challenge you to rethink iconic fair foods and specialty ingredients,” the trailer teases. “We're talking cakes, pies. And anything else they can dream up.”
What’s the ‘Blue Ribbon Baking Championship’release date?
All eight episodes of the baking competition will launch on Aug. 9 on Netflix, the streaming service.
Who are the hosts of the ‘Blue Ribbon Baking Championship’?
Actor Jason Biggs, best known for his appearances in the “American Pie” film franchise, will oversee the competition with television personality and baker Sandra Lee.
Who are the judges of the ‘Blue Ribbon Baking Championship’?
Former White House pastry chef Bill Yosses and baker Bryan Ford will also serve as judges along with Lee.
Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor and dining reporter at The Des Moines Register. You can reach out to her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or drop her a line at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: New Netflix show to feature Iowa State Fair champion baker
