Great Kiwi Bake Off season 5 finale
Judges Peter Gordon and Jordan Rondel are back, as are hosts Hayley Sproull and Pax Assadi!
Meet the bakers
AIDAN WOODWARD, 42
electrician/registered nurse
Nelson resident Aidan is no stranger to Bake Off challenges - he was just one hurdle away from making it onto the British version in 2012. Aidan's strengths include attention to detail and creativity, and he's happy baking anything from a scone to a croquembouche.
ANNA WAINWRIGHT, 28
teacher
Aucklander Anna, who lives with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), wants to inspire the kids she teaches to follow their dreams. A keen baker since she was little, Anna is fascinated with the concept of playing with recipes to see what happens. A fan of creating cooking videos for TikTok, Anna's signature bake is her cinnamon buns.
CHANTELLE REIHANA, 23
model/hospitality
She's taken to the stage as a model for the World of Wearable Arts in 2022, but this time, Chantelle wants to blow everyone away with her baking skills. A self-confessed perfectionist, she describes herself as Jade Thirwall from The Great British Bake Off meets Martha Stewart! Chantelle says showcasing her baking skills on the show fulfils a childhood dream.
DANIELLE WINDFUHR, 39
executive assistant
As a coeliac, you'd be forgiven for wondering why Danielle has chosen baking, but the Aucklander says she's happy to make things without tasting them. Danielle is also a big Dungeons and Dragons fan, so expect some wild creations here! Doughnuts are her signature bake.
DEVONEY SCARFE, 47
commercial artist
Auckland-based Devoney and her husband own a creative agency, but she's got a guilty secret - she'll do anything she can to dodge work, to go home and bake! She likes to dwell in the “grey area where food meets art”She's even got an Instagram account dedicated to her pie-making. A lover of music, art and animals, Devoney reckons nothing would be sweeter than taking home the crown of New Zealand's best baker.
JOSEPHINE TJANDRA, 36
food analyst
With a degree in food science, Josephine is skilled at creating her own recipes - which means, for better or worse, they're always unique! The Palmerston North-based baker makes some interesting creations, including caramel soy sauce seaweed. But her personal favourite is caramel popcorn, which she reckons has a balanced sweetness and is super-crispy too.
JOSH DUNCAN, 32
civil engineering project manager
This fitness junkie and manifestation king recently lost 80kg and picked up a sweet tooth in the process. An avid runner, health-conscious Josh says baking helps him relax, and it's his way of showing his love and appreciation to his family and friends.
LILLIAN WRIGGLESWORTH, 56
homemaker
Lillian lost her leg in an accident two years ago, and believes she wouldn’t have had the bravery to enter Bake Off had she not become an amputee. With a vast baking repertoire, Lillian isn't afraid to try anything - once, at least! When the Amberley homemaker isn't baking, she loves sewing, gardening, crafts and socialising. She’s also recently gotten into beekeeping, which seems about ten thousand times scarier than braving the Bake Off tent.
PAUL DICKSON, 45
founder of Oke Charity
Baking is a stress-reliever for Paul, whose charity, Oke, provides Kiwi kids with the opportunity to learn life and social skills through gardening at school. Paul bakes with his son and is planning to bring a bit of "Brummie flavour" from his UK birthplace to the show.
SALLY EAGLE, 37
wedding dress designer
A baker since childhood, Wellingtonian Sally's creations certainly take the cake! She adores decorating the results and believes that unlike a painting, which is designed to last, her creations are made to be eaten, so she'll decorate as if there's no tomorrow. Her favourite task is to hand-paint a cake.
5x8: Finale
signature challenge: 4 savory soufflés with sauce or gravy
who made what: [Spoiler (click to open)]
Anna - smoked salmon, gruyère,and tomato paste soufflé with beetroot relish and lemon dill sauce
Devoney - gruyère, pea, and parmesan soufflé with shallot sauce
Sally - parmesan, gruyère, and nutmeg soufflé with onion gravy
technical challenge: high tea using components from previous bakes
rankings: [Spoiler (click to open)]
1 - Devoney
2 - Sally
3 - Anna
showstopper challenge: anti-gravity illusion cake
who made what: [Spoiler (click to open)]
Anna - cauldron with sticky toffee sponge, custard filling, cake pop spiders, cornflake potion bottle, ginger jelly slugs
Devoney - horse with lemon cake, raspberry buttercream, raspberries, modeling chocolate, fondant
Sally - sandcastle with chocolate cake, raspberry filling, raspberry swiss meringue buttercream, crumbled sugar cookie sand, lemon poppyseed cake bucket
2024 winner: [Spoiler (click to open)] Anna