Gwen was right.  She told me it would be a whirlwind and she didn't lie!  It's amazing how all consuming this adventure became from months before to the last few seconds.  But, before I move on to the next chapter, here's a look at my time at the Bake-Off Contest. 

The experience was incredible and one that I wouldn't trade for the world.  One of the most important aspects for me was the friendships that I made along the way.  From the people with whom I competed to the former finalists who are no longer able to compete because of the 3 time participation limit, everyone has been supportive, encouraging, generous, and I was touched by these people that I am proud to call my friends.

From beginning to end, the event was incredibly organized and we were all treated very special.  At orientation it was finally time to get to meet the finalists in person!  After we got checked in and officially registered...



...Linda Bibbo, Cathy Weichert, Joan Cossette, Cynthia Bowser, and I were all smiles and ready for orientation!



I got to meet THE Doughboy as I heading into the big ballroom for orientation.



Over several days, the big ballroom was transformed into 100 mini kitchens.  This was the first time we got the opportunity to see it and it was only from afar as we were not allowed to go near our work areas.  The room was under 24 hour security for the duration--they take this seriously!



At orientation, we were given all of the specifics:  From the expectations during the Bake-Off Contest to the legal aspects of the competition, all questions were answered.  Nothing was allowed onto the contest floor--we had to check everything that was in our pockets before were would be allowed to enter.  There would be physician in case of accident, contest officials would be on hand to resolve issues that may arise, we would have runners to assist us in retrieving items from the refrigerators and to clear the way when we took our recipes to the judges and for photography.  They had thought of everything!

But before the big day, it was time to celebrate.  Honestly, just getting to go is an accomplishment.  To be 1 of 100 out of tens of thousands of entries is amazing.  I met a lady who had been trying to get there for over 20 years!  At the welcome dinner, I was happy to spend time with my new friends.  Many of us had been communicating over the past year and it was fun to finally meet everyone in person!

Joan, Linda, and Pam had become dear friends early on as we were part of the "You Be The Judge" voting challenge and bonded through that experience.  Lovely ladies each of them!



After a restless night of sleep, it was all business at our mini-kitchens.  We were only on the floor alone for the first 20 minutes and then there was an onslaught of media:  Television, newspapers, bloggers, VIPs...  It was CRAZY!  But...



...I kept my cool!  Ali Wentworth (in the plaid shirt) was there as a correspondent for the "Oprah Winfrey Show" who would be announcing the Grand Prize Winner.  She's a comedian and married to George Stephanopoulos. 

She was all about the drama!  She had heard that I was having some oven problems kept coming back looking for panic, frustration, tears--SOMETHING to make Oprah proud.  She outstayed her welcome and I said "Bu-Bye" because I had some cooking to do!



I wasn't the only contestant to have issues with the GE ranges.  I'm not sure what happened.  But, when I went to put my batch that I had intended to take to the judges into the oven, it was not at temperature.  It had shut down.  Power surge?  Who knows, but it happened to a few of us.  At that point, I already had the egg wash on the dough and by the time the oven had heated up, it had absorbed into the dough.  I knew that wouldn't be my best effort, but the clock was ticking and I had to get something rushed to the judges...



...and rushed we did!  My runner cleared the way and I made it.... 

... to the judging area with a few minutes to spare!  WHEW!  That was the fastest 4 hours of my life!!!



I went prepared and gave it my best shot.  Some things you just can't plan for.  So, after an afternoon at the pool, it was time to get dressed and walk across the awards stage for my first and only time...



One by one, the category winners took their deserved spot on the stage and spent a little time with the hostess with the mostess, Sandra Lee!



In the end, a recipe using canned salmon beat me.  Yep, seriously.  I might have to make that recipe just to see what the judges liked.  There were several other recipes in my category that I thought were more deserving of the win, more interesting, and more creative....  But, you can't please everyone and I'm not a sore loser.  I was winner from the moment I found out I was a finalist!

Over the past several months I did some television and newspaper interviews.  One reporter even called me a perfectionist, which I'll wear with a badge of honor!

For now, it's back to the renovation on my house and I'll just have to wait and see where my next adventure leads me.  Thanks for letting me share this fun experience with you!

Gwen asked me to write about my experiences at the upcoming Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest. 
My name is Brett Youmans and this will be my first cooking contest of any kind!  I am excited, nervous, anxious, thrilled--so many emotions all at once--but one thing is for certain, I can't wait to hear:  "Finalists, start your ovens!"

For me, this contest was on my "bucket list."  I love to cook and eat great food!  I have always admired the Bake-Off Contest cook booklets in the grocery store check-out lines and more recently, watching the Bake-Off Contest on Food Network.  My job allows me the opportunity to travel the world, but since I'm away from home so much, I cherish my time experimenting in the kitchen.  The kitchen has also been a source of inspiration and motivation--I won a kitchen makeover contest from House Beautiful magazine!  I had just moved into an 1870 Victorian Italianate and the kitchen was dreadful!  I had never entered a contest before and I really didn't think that "real people" actually won those contests.  But, after taking some before pictures and writing an essay about why I needed a kitchen makeover, I sent in my submission.  A few months later, I found out that I had won the Grand Prize which consisted of the complete renovation of the kitchen and dining room valued at $100,000!  The results were photographed for the February, 2007 issue of the magazine.

House Beautiful magazine (photos 5-12)

After that win, I WAS HOOKED on contesting!

In January of 2009 came the posting for the 44th Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest:  The 60th Anniversary of THE premier cooking contest.  I got excited, the wheels starting turning as ideas crept into my imagination, I read and reread the Contest rules, bought lots of qualifying ingredients, and started creating.  There was some successes and some, "what in the world was I thinking?!?"  But, with each experiment, I learned a little more and new ideas popped up.  Finally, after several incarnations, my "Asian-Spiced Cashew-Chicken Piadinis" were born!  The inspiration for my submission to the Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest was a trip I took to Italy.  I was amazed by the many ways that pizza dough was used.  I had used the Pillsbury Thin-Crust Pizza Dough and liked that it baked up--crispy, yet tender and it reminded me of Italian flat bread called "piadini."  I also liked the play of two different cultures in a dish.  My dish is "Italian bistro meets Chinese take-out."  Wrapped creatively in Pillsbury's Thin-Crust Pizza Dough and filled with my interpretation of an updated, flavorful version of cashew-chicken, I thought I had created a winner!



So, after checking and rechecking my entry, I entered the required information and pressed "submit."  Much to my surprise a few weeks later, "General Mills," (the parent company of Pillsbury) showed up on my caller ID.  It was a spring day in April shortly after the submission period had closed.  I knew that the 100 finalists wouldn't be notified until September since they needed all of those months to narrow down the tens of thousand of entries that they received.  Also, they needed time to test and retest the recipes that were selected as possible finalists. 
As it turned out, my recipe had been selected for a new twist that Pillsbury had introduced:  The "You Be the Judge" Challenge.  For the first time in Bake-Off Contest history, the Contest was allowing the public to vote in 10 recipes that will be competing in this year's Contest!! By that time, my recipe had been chosen by the Bake-Off Contest team as worthy on its merits, having undergone rigorous testing. 
So, for a two week period during the summer, my recipe was paired with against another recipe and the stakes were high:  The winner of the Challenge would win a spot at the Bake-Off Contest!  So, I launched my one man campaign...

... and started shaking hands and kissing babies!

Months later I would learn that the public had given me their support and voted me the winner!
Since then, media outlets from all over the country have generously invited finalists for interviews.  I have been on one live segment on "Good Day Philadelphia" with three other local finalists form my area...

Good Day Philadelphia video

…and WFMZ-Channel 69 filmed me in my kitchen and ran different versions of the story for 2 days!

WFMZ-Channel 69 video

The "Philadelphia Inquirer" newspaper ran a two page cover story featuring the local finalists and the writer, Michael Klein, is joining us at the Bake-Off Contest to cover the story.

Philadelphia Inquirer article

In the weeks leading up to the Bake-Off Contest, the Bake-Off Contest Team has amazed me with their organization and communication with each and every finalist.  They set up a secure website so they could easily let us know of important Contest updates.  We approved grocery and equipment lists right down to a teaspoon and a roll of paper towels!  Since we can't take anything onto the Contest floor, they are even providing each of us with a disposable camera to use during the competition!

Our hotel (the brand new beautiful Hilton and Waldorf Astoria Resort!)...

...and travel arrangements were taken care of and our GE microwave ovens arrived as our finalist prize.  The official Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest apron...

...arrived in the mail along with a gift card to cover incidental expenses.  Simply put:  They thought of everything!

I also practiced my fair share...

...because I wanted to be as prepared as possible since a million dollars is on the line.  Did I forget to mention that?!?  Yep:  The Grand Prize is $1 Million dollars!!!

Orlando, here I come come!  Please keep your fingers crossed for me!  I'll be updating from Orlando so check back often!  You never know, I might just be the next Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest Winner!!!

Brett

PS:  I'm taking my lucky charm along too!  He's a vintage doughboy--hopefully, he'll bring me some good luck!