Shivangi Sinha
Baking competition shows have become a delightful blend of culinary artistry and heartwarming entertainment, offering audiences a chance to witness the creativity and skill of talented bakers. Among the plethora of baking shows, Netflix’s ‘The Great British Baking Show: Holidays’ or ‘The Great Christmas Bake Off,’ as it is known in the UK, stands out as a festive favorite. In the seventh season, former contestants from previous seasons of ‘The Great British Baking Show’ were invited back to the tent to test their skills once more. Among them was Sophie Faldo, the winner of Season 8, who proved yet again why she is a baking champion. Sophie’s remarkable growth as a baker was evident in every bake she presented.
Sophie Faldo’s Second Win Proved Her Mettle as a Baker
Sophie Faldo returned to the tent as the reigning champion of her previous season and admitted it was a nerve-wracking experience. She shared that being at the top came with its own pressures, particularly the fear that any misstep might be seen as a decline in her skills. However, bake after bake, Sophie demonstrated how much she had refined and improved her craft, emerging as a formidable competitor. In the first round, when the challenge was to create traditional mince pies, Sophie took a bold and creative approach.
She crafted cherry and almond mince pies with almond pastry bases, boozy cherry mincemeat, and a topping of frangipane adorned with fondant decoration. Her mince pies were nothing short of extraordinary—perfectly balanced with the richness of the almond, the tart sweetness of the cherry, and the warm undertone of the spiced alcohol. The frangipane layer added a luxurious texture, and her attention to detail in the presentation was impeccable. In the second round, the contestants were tasked with creating a snowflake bread, and Sophie Faldo’s bake stood out. The judges noted a remarkable improvement in her skills since her original season, praising the extraordinary quality of her work. Her bread earned her first place in this round as well.
However, it was Sophie’s final creation that truly secured her victory in December 2023. She crafted a breathtaking Christmas candle centerpiece cake, showcasing her creativity and technical expertise. The design featured a chocolate hazelnut and spiced pear loaf shaped like a wreath, forming the base of the centerpiece. For the “candle,” she used a spiced honey cake layered with honey sponge filling, all coated in smooth white ganache, to replicate the waxy texture of a real candle. The judges were unanimous in their praise, declaring that every aspect of her creation—from its flawless execution to its exquisite taste—was perfection. Sophie’s innovation and skill reaffirmed her as a deserving champion, and she earned the title of winner once again.
Sophie Faldo Was in the Royal Artillery Before She Discovered Her Cooking Talent
Sophie Faldo was born in London, England, but her formative years were spent in Suffolk. A driven individual from a young age, she was determined to carve out a meaningful future for herself. This ambition led her to pursue a Master’s degree in Psychology at the prestigious University of Toulouse. She thoroughly enjoyed her academic experience, but when the opportunity to join the armed forces arose, she didn’t hesitate to seize it. She joined the Royal Artillery, one of the key branches of the British Army, and served with distinction. Her service included a deployment to Afghanistan. After leaving regular military service in 2012, she transitioned into the role of a reservist.
Sophie ventured into various roles focused on physical fitness, working as a personal trainer and leading military boot camps, where she applied her discipline and dedication to helping others achieve their fitness goals. During this time, she unexpectedly discovered a passion for cooking, especially baking, when she volunteered to make a cake for a friend’s birthday. The success of that cake revealed her innate talent in the kitchen. While also training to become a stuntwoman, she found herself encouraged by her boyfriend, David Slattery, to apply for the reality series. Despite her initial hesitation, she embraced the challenge, ultimately winning season 8. Sophie has admitted that her victory was a surprise even to her and that she wasn’t fully prepared for the whirlwind of opportunities and recognition that followed her triumph.
Post-win Success: From Working at a Michelin Star Restaurant With Her Boyfriend to Building Her Luxury Cake Business
After her ‘Great British Bake Off’ win in October 2017, Sophie Faldo embarked on a new culinary journey, working as a trainee pastry chef at the Michelin-starred Glasshouse restaurant in Kew. During this time, she worked alongside her Irish boyfriend, David Slattery, who brought his own expertise from training under renowned chef Gordon Ramsay. She shared her experiences in a weekly column for a website, where she candidly expressed that the intersection of media and the baking industry could be a tough and often unforgiving environment. Undeterred, she channeled her skills and passion into launching her own business, Sophie Faldo Couture Cakes. It is based out of Westbury, Wiltshire, and specializes in bespoke luxury cakes for special occasions like weddings.
Sophie Faldo is Working as an Army Reservist Today
Sophie Faldo had initially planned to author a cookbook, but due to contractual issues, the project never materialized. In 2018, she took on the role of ambassador for Combat Stress, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing mental health support to veterans dealing with PTSD. Following her ‘Great British Bake Off’ victory, she chose to keep a low profile, avoiding frequent television appearances and focusing on living a quieter life. She has shifted her attention to teaching at military boot camps, embracing what she describes as a “normal job.” Although she has expressed interest in writing a pâtisserie book in the future, she is not actively pursuing it. She has shared that her ideal starting point would involve traveling the world to gather inspiration for her creations. She plans to stay where she is and is very comfortable in the life that she has built for herself.
Read More: Maxy Maligisa: Where is The Great British Baking Show Contestant Now?
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