New Food Network series Bake or Break arrives this April
By D. Goodman
One of the most popular trends in food television over the last few years has been the restaurant makeover series. Take a struggling restaurant, throw in a celebrity chef who knows how to run a successful business, add a dollop of drama and viola, a recipe for smash ratings.
Food Network’s best example of the format is inarguably Restaurant: Impossible with Robert Irvine. Launched in 2011 to solid ratings, the series has been on and off the network ever since. The last time it returned in 2021 it was supposed to air exclusively in Discovery Plus but fan blowback resulted in the series returning to Food Network.
Now the cabler has announced that they are taking the makeover concept and giving it a new twist. Instead of restaurants this time it will be failing bakeries that will be given a second chance to become successful.
The new series is titled Bake or Break and will star award-winning pastry chef Stephanie Boswell. It will begin airing on Food Network and Discovery Plus on April 11 with the first season running for four hour-long episodes
Bake or Break will try to help struggling bakeries get back on the right track.
For anyone familiar with Restaurant: Impossible the format will be very familiar. Boswell and her design team, including Lauren Makk and Breegan Jane, arrive at a bakery that has seen better days. Together they will give the menu and the storefront a makeover and give the owners the tips and tricks they need to turn things around.
According to Boswell, thanks to her years of success she can see the potential these bakeries have and is well aware of how much the owners have invested.
"“Emotions run high as there is so much on the line both personally and professionally for the bakery owners. I see the potential in these struggling bakeries, and encouragement is the ingredient these owners need to believe in themselves so they can turn their businesses around. With hard work and some guidance, we freshen up their menus, add flavor, and fill counters with bounties of colorful baked goods to make each shop fun, vibrant, and inviting so customers pour in.”"
With baking shows of all types drawing in record viewers, it was just a matter of time until the makeover genre arrived in bakeries across the country.
Bake or Break premieres on Monday, April 11 at 10 PM on both Food Network and Discovery Plus.
What do you think Guilty Eaters? Does Bake or Break sound like the kind of show you would want to watch? Leave a comment below and let us know or join the conversation on our Twitter and Facebook pages.