‘Next Great Baker’ Finds 13 New Contestants

TLC’s unveiled the names of the contestants who’ll be competing on this new season of Next Great Baker with Buddy “Cake Boss” Valastro. Premiering on November 26, 2012 at 9pm ET/PT, 13 lucky – and talented – pastry chefs will be trying to out-bake and out-decorate each other in order to win the $100,000 prize, a Redbook Magazine feature story and the chance to work with Buddy and his team at Carlo’s Bakery.

Guest judges on this 10-episode season include Mario Lopez & Courtney Mazza, Lou Ferrigno, Peter Billingsley (A Christmas Story), Holly Madison, and Joey Fatone.

“Each season brings out stronger contestants and I think this is the best batch yet. The challenges are tougher, the judges more critical, and the reward as sweet as ever,” states Buddy Valastro.

Next Great Baker Season 3 Contestants:

Letty Alvarez – Miami, FL
41 years old; Owner/Operator of LA Sweets

James S. Brown – Lexington, KY (previously from Chicago, IL)
41 years old; Owner of Brown’s Bakery

Paul Christopher Conti – Long Beach Island, NJ (originally from Staten Island, NY)
30 years old; currently unemployed

Chad Durkin – Philadelphia, PA (previously from Hackensack, NJ and Toms River, NJ)
28 years old; Owner of CAD Culinary consulting and wedding cakes

Gretel-Ann Fischer – Colchester, VT
35 years old; Owner of Cupp’s, a bakery/café in Winooski, Vermont

Peter Gray – East Longmeadow, MA
21 years old; Runs cake decorating business Pete’s Sweets

Ashley Lauren Holt – Louisville, KY
24 years old; Pastry Chef at The Louisville Country Club, also runs cake business Sugar Monster Sweets

Jen Kwapinski – San Jose, CA (previously from Columbus, NE)
32 years old; Owner of Jen’s Cakes

Chris Luna – Roseville, CA (originally from Pollock Pines, CA) *Chris was the America’s Choice selection
29 years old; Currently a Sales Executive, and an amateur baker

Melissa Payne – Chesterfield, VA
33 years old; Owner of Couture Cake Creations, co-owner of Sweets Couture

Jess Reyling – Peoria, IL (originally from Chillicothe, IL)
30 years old; Stay at Home Mom

Emme Tyler – Los Angeles, CA
30 years old; Owner of Skinny Batches

William Garrett Wallace – Waverly,TN
36 years old; Cake artist at Fabulous Baker Boy