Cupcakes, maybe, but who would’ve ever thought that donuts would be taken so seriously? The sugary, fried treats are the focus of Food Network Canada’s new show, Donut Showdown.
In this new series, announced Wednesday via press release, professional donut makers from all over North America will compete to make the tastiest treats in order to bank themselves a top $10,000 prize. Each episode will feature three new pro donut-ers vying for the cash by creating a batch of the goodies, using the three secret ingredients that they are provided with. The one with the worst donuts will be sent home, leaving the final two to battle it out by frying up a large batch of donuts based on the theme determined by the judges.
The celebrity crew of judges will be headed up by David Rocco (Iron Chef, David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway), and supplemented with Maggie McKeown (Recipe to Riches) and Toronto restaurateur Zane Caplansky, owner of Caplansky’s Delicatessen. Their task will be to determine the winner of the threesome in order to dole out the grand prize of $10,000 each episode.
Shaw Media’s press release about the show states that competitors will “take the iconic fried dough delicacy to new heights, dishing out their wackiest creations”. It goes on to mention that donuts will be judged on “taste, presentation and creativity”.
It’s strange to think that so much focus could be put on a little donut. How creative can they really get? We will just have to see how out of the (donut) box this show really is.
There are 42 competitors in total, 12 of whom reside in Canada. Those are:
Barb Aiello
Grandad’s Coffee & Donuts in Dundas, Ont.
Kristen Boates
Rodney’s By Bay/John & Sons Oyster House in Toronto, Ont.
Rachelle Cadwell
Dough By Rachelle in Toronto, Ont.
Michelle Edgar
Sweet Escape Patisserie in Toronto, Ont.
Amanda Hamer
Barque Smokehouse in Toronto, Ont.
Isabelle Loiacono
J’Adore Cakes Co. in Woodbridge, Ont.
Rajesh “Rags” Narine
Cartem’s Donuterie in Vancouver, B.C.
Rachel Pellet
Emma’s Country Kitchen in Toronto, Ont.
Grant Rummel
Chez Boris in Montreal, Que.
Trista Sheen (Top Chef Canada finalist)
Crush Wine Bar in Toronto, Ont.
Grayson Sherman
Jelly Modern in Calgary, Alta.
Josie Weitzenbauer
Leche Desserts Inc. in Montreal, Que.
Donut Showdown premieres Tuesday, April 2 at 10 p.m. ET/PT only on Food Network Canada.
Will you watch? Sound off on TV Guide Canada‘s official Twitter and Facebook pages.
