Dan Vano, 35 (he/him)
hometown: Burnaby, British Columbia
occupation: customer success associate
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dannobakes
Dan has always enjoyed cooking, but it wasn’t until his partner of 8 years, Nathan, gifted him a macaroon baking class in 2017 that he discovered that his true passion is baking. From there, he joined the sourdough movement and found it exhilarating to perfect his recipes and flavour combinations. Dan grew up in the Philippines before he and his family moved to Fort McMurray, Alberta, then to Edmonton after finishing high school. Dan and Nathan settled in B.C. two years ago and have found community through their competitive LGBTQ volleyball league. His signature bake is a tie between sourdough bread, macarons or focaccia. If he could bake for one famous person, he would make sourdough bread for Bobby Flay.
Dominic Ménard-Bilodeau, 49 (he/him)
hometown: Longueuil, Quebec
occupation: geopolitics teacher
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dominic_aux_fourneaux
Dominic is a lifelong foodie, acting as the family cook for his partner of 18 years and their 8 year old daughter and often hosting brunch and quiz night gatherings for friends. Outside of the kitchen, he is a long-distance cyclist and runner, who is used to preparing for competitions, even through Quebec’s harsh winters. Dominic is passionate about his career teaching geography, helping his students become informed global citizens and sharing his love of learning about the world. His studious nature extends to his baking as he learns the ins and outs of how a recipe works. The first thing he ever baked was sticky toffee puddings for his parents’ dinner parties. His signature bake is yule logs (rolled cakes). If he could bake for one famous person, it would be Kim Thuy, a Vietnamese-born Québec author who often incorporates food in her novels.
Jennifer Tsang, 24 (she/her)
hometown: Burnaby, British Columbia
occupation: masters student (data science in healthcare)
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eggyolksbakery
As a data science student, Jennifer treats her hobbies like an experiment, where failure is an important part of the learning process. She also loves running, playing ultimate frisbee and learning to play the guzheng, a traditional Chinese stringed instrument. Baking fuels Jennifer’s artistic side and she loves to fill notebooks with sketches illustrating her recipe ideas. Her mission to pull off the perfect bake is supported by her primary taste testers: her sister and her boyfriend. The first thing she ever baked was chocolate muffins, and her signature bake is macarons and lunchbox cakes. If she could bake for a famous person, she would make a pineapple cheesecake with a salted egg yolk crumble for Gordon Ramsay.
Jo Mandet, 44 (she/her)
hometown: Vancouver, British Columbia
occupation: event planner for a catering company
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joannemandet
Jo grew up in a cottage in rural England, before moving to Dubai for many years to work in travel hospitality. today in Vancouver with her husband, Flo, Jo embraces her multicultural modern family, which includes two teenaged daughters from her first marriage and two young children with Flo, along with her ex-husband and his family. They celebrate birthdays together, singing ‘Happy Birthday’ in each of their four native languages: English, Arabic, Portuguese, and French. Between her work as an event planner and chauffeuring the kids, Jo squeezes in time for yoga and date nights out with Flo. The first thing she remembers baking is a Victoria sponge, and her signature bake is cake. If she could bake for a famous person, she would bake a birthday cake for Thomas Keller.
Kavi Chatoorgoon, 48 (he/him)
hometown: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
occupation: pediatric surgeon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kavi.is.baking
Kavi is a pediatric surgeon who bakes with a calm confidence. He enjoys baking with his 4-year-old daughter, Madhuri, in matching aprons. He and his wife, Vidya, share a common profession as surgeons and love to meld their Trinidadian and Indian cultures through food. Kavi also plays piano and tabla drums and takes landscape photographs. His medical education and practice brought him across the U.S. before settling in Saskatoon. The first thing he remembers baking is chocolate chip cookies. His signature bake is cardamom buns or babka. If he could bake for a famous person, he would make cardamom buns for Paul Hollywood.
Margaret Bose-Johnson, 66 (she/her)
hometown: Parkland County, Alberta
occupation: part-time German teacher for kindergarten and grade 1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kitchenfrau
Though she has been baking her entire life, Margaret’s favourite hobby turned into a passion with a purpose when her daughter was diagnosed with celiac disease. Adapting her German family’s recipes led her to create a blog to document and share how to bake delicious, allergen-friendly treats. With four grown kids scattered across the globe, Margaret has entered her adventurous era. Between tending her home roost of chickens, teaching at a German language school and competitive dragon boat racing, Margaret is ready for her next experience: baking in the tent. Her signature bake is schneeballen, fluffy balls of sponge cake and raspberry whipped cream rolled in coconut. If she could bake for a famous person, she would make afternoon tea with chicken sandwiches, cucumber sandwiches, scones with homemade jams, lemon tarts, mini pavlovas, and petit fours for Queen Elizabeth.
Ryan Gridzak, 34 (he/him)
hometown: Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
occupation: steel mill crane operator
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sweetdaddyconfection
Ryan is a shift worker at a local steel mill, who works with colleagues who appreciate his leftover baking! At home he bakes for his best friend and supporter, his wife, Krista, and their two rambunctious young boys. When not playing with the kids, they enjoy staying active through powerlifting and dance. The first thing Ryan baked was a birthday cake during the pandemic. His signature bake is burnt basque cheesecake. If he could bake for a famous person, it would be Keanu Reeves or Pedro Pascal.
Shaneka Ekanayake, 38 (she/her)
hometown: Barrie, Ontario
occupation: sales support administrator
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cakedbyru
Originally from Sri Lanka, Shaneka and her family moved to Canada 6 years ago to support her son’s goal to become a pilot. today a fiercely proud Canadian, Shaneka even enjoys the cold winters, despite her tropical upbringing. Shaneka made many new friends here by sharing tasty treats with her neighbours and colleagues. Aside from baking, she adores celebrating Christmas and has a big collection of décor that she meticulously keeps colour-coordinated. She also enjoys cheering on her husband and son playing cricket. Shaneka began baking with her mother when she was four years old. Her signature bake is a chocolate yule log. If she could bake for a famous person, it would be Céline DIon.
Tamara Church, 56 (she/her)
hometown: St. John’s, Newfoundland
occupation: family court counsellor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/snowchurchlady
Tamara is a straightshooter who never leaves the house without her lipstick on. Her husband of 22 years, Jon (A.K.A.”Dollface”), does all the cooking, allowing Tamara the time to bake. She is a proud Newfoundlander, who enjoys restoring her family home in Bay Bulls and is writing a memoir of their history. Tamara is nearing retirement from her career in the provincial court system, and with their five kids all grown up, she looks forward to more time to bake, entertain and enjoy her book club. Her hobbies include making miniatures, reading, writing, and hiking. The first thing Tamara baked was cinnamon rolls (which turned out to be a disaster) when she was 14 years old. Her signature bake is cakes. If she could bake for a famous person, it would be 1987 Patrick Swayze.
Zoë Weinrebe, 31 (she/her)
hometown: Toronto, Ontario
occupation: brand manager
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bywilsonpark
As a kid, Zoë loved to movie food tv shows and then act them out in the kitchen. But her true kitchen hero is her dad, Anthony, who raised her and her sister, taught her to cook, and passed on his classic Jamaican recipes. Last year she had the exciting opportunity to make gingerbread houses that were pictured on national postage stamps for the holiday season. Aside from baking, Zoë loves road cycling, getting out in the city with her sister, Kira, and hanging at home with her cat. Her signature bake is macarons or an interesting floral layer cake. If she could bake for a famous person, she would make brownies for Anthony Bourdain.
9×5: Indulgence Week
The six remaining bakers are tasked with making rich, decadent desserts including cheesecakes, Dubai chocolate cookies, and a layer cake wrapped inside another cake.
signature challenge: 6 mini cheesecakes
who made what: [Spoiler (click to open)]
Dominic – haskap berry & sea buckthorn berry baked cheesecake with roasted nut crust, tuile
Jennifer – pink pineapple cheesecake with salted egg yolk crust, isomalt dome
Jo – blue cheese baked cheesecake with gingersnap crust, rhubarb compôte, candied rhubarb, tuile biscuit
Margaret – tonka bean cheesecake mousse with macadamia nut dacquoise crust, strawberry gelée, mirror glaze
Ryan – ube cheesecake with almond short crust, lemon curd
Zoë – white chocolate spicy chai cheesecake with almond cookie crust, amarena cherry jelly, marzipan disco cherries
technical challenge: Dubai chocolate cookies with pistachio paste, tahini, kataifi dough
rankings: [Spoiler (click to open)]
1 – Jo
2 – Margaret
3 – Jennifer
4 – Ryan
5 – Dominic
6 – Zoë
showstopper challenge: cake wrapped cake
who made what: [Spoiler (click to open)]
Dominic – spice cake with poached pear compôte, squash purée, fondant leaves
Jennifer – porcelain oolong chiffon cake with osmanthus crème diplomat, fresh lychee, buttercream peonies
Jo – black forest inspired cake with almond sponge, cherry brandy sauce, chocolate ganache
Margaret – raspberry rosewater cake with whipped raspberry ganache, meringue roses, raspberry marshmallow
Ryan – Halloween cake with pumpkin cake, fig compôte, cake pop spider, rice paper ghosts
Zoë – strawberry patch with lime & coriander cake, strawberry basil compôte, mascarpone cream, strawberry macarons, vanilla cake wrap
star baker: [Spoiler (click to open)] Margaret
eliminated: [Spoiler (click to open)] Dominic
About the Author
