Based on the British hit The Great British Bake Off, The Great American Baking Show showcases some of the nation’s best amateur bakers as they compete in a series of challenges and eliminations, all hoping to be crowned America’s Best Amateur Baker.  Maliniak describes a lengthy process of interviewing for a spot on the ten member competition show.   

Cindy recalls seeing an online ad inviting applications to be a contestant on the show and on a whim she applied in January of 2017.  She guesses that thousands applied. Months went by and she all but forgot about it when producers reached out.  She went through a very involved screening process including interviews, filming, and baking.  She was notified in early July that she had been selected to be one of the 10 contestants. 

Producers came to Medway to film Maliniak in her home and at the Winston’s Flower studio in Boston, where she worked as a floral designer for years and is now a freelance designer.  She then traveled to the UK for a month, only allowed to tell her family where she was going and why.  The show was shot outside under a tent on the grounds of Pinewood Studios in Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire.

Cindy effusively praises the producers and crew for making the experience fantastic.  She explains that there are critical differences in baking ingredients in the UK – the basics such as flour, sugar, butter etc. are different enough from the US versions that many recipes had to be adjusted.  The crew would go to great lengths to provide any ingredients or utensils the contestants needed.  They would bring them hot tea throughout the day to warm the contestants, who were baking outside under a tent, frequently in the rain.  They also took the group of contestants on sightseeing outings.

She has similar praise for her fellow contestants, describing a collegial and friendly group who offered each other encouragement and advice.  Many of her fellow contestants were in their 20s and 30s and had learned about baking online while she approached the tent with 50+ years of experience baking.  She began baking with her mother when she was 7 and has enjoyed it ever since, often baking up to 30 different types of cookies for the holidays.

While she is not allowed to share the outcome, she is looking forward to watching the show with friends and family.  The 6 episode show will air 2 back to back episodes on three consecutive Thursdays this month on December 7^th, 14^th, and 21^st on ABC.  Cindy will share her experiences as a contestant at the Medway Public Library on January 11^th.