Halloween Baking Championship: Complete list of winners

Halloween Baking Championship is the spookiest and most thrilling baking show on Food Network. 

Each year, the most talented and skilled pastry chefs participate in the contest for the Halloween dessert for the grand prize of $25,000. 

The show broadcasts on Food Network and is available for streaming on Max every Monday at 9 p.m. ET/PT. 

It is hosted by John Henson along with judges Carla Hall, Stephanie Boswell, and Zac Young. 

The show has been infusing horror-style fun with food artistry since 2015. 

The viewers are highly entertained by the costumes, the “main heat” challenges, and the dessert ideas that transform creepy into delicious.

Where are the Halloween Baking Championship's winners now?

Here’s a look at the ten winners of Halloween Baking Championship and what they’re doing today:

1. Season 1 (2015): Rudy Martinez  

A home baker from Queens, New York, Rudy won the very first season. 

He still runs "Man Bakes Cake" and performs in local theatre productions such as "In the Heights and Our Town".

2. Season 2 (2016): Michelle Kortis (née Antonishek)

Michelle works as the executive pastry chef at "Los Cuernos Ranch" in Cotulla, Texas. 

She spends most of her time baking, traveling, and enjoying time with her children and grandkids.

3. Season 3 (2017): Jasmin Bell

"Bells Pastries" is a bakery owned by Jasmin, who is originally from Seattle, and the day-to-day operations of which include making artistic cakes and conducting interactive baking classes. 

In 2018, she married Toron Smith and in 2022, they welcomed their baby.

4. Season 4 (2018): Lyndsy Velasquez (née McDonald)

The ex-Executive pastry chef of "Ritz-Carlton Sarasota" took part in the Chocolate Meltdown: Hershey's After Dark show in 2021. 

She is a spouse, mother of three, and sometimes bakes at home just for fun.

5. Season 5 (2019): Karl Fong 

Karl runs a bakery named “Cakes By Karl” in Hercules, California. 

He participated in The Big Bake: Under the Sea, won and went to the final round. 

He works on cakes and asserts that the backing of the community is a factor that makes his business survive the difficult times.

6. Season 6 (2020): Sinai Vespie 

Sinai, from Indiana, became the executive pastry chef at the "University of Notre Dame". 

She also joined the Greatest Chefs of Michiana fundraiser and said her time on the show helped her grow professionally.

7. Season 7 (2021): Renee Loranger

Renee, from Mississippi, now owns "Sugar Pop Baking Co.". 

She says she used her prize money from the show to open it. 

Her bakery has grown locally, and she often shares her creative cakes on Instagram.

8. Season 8 (2022): Blayre Wright 

A proud baker from Pennsylvania, Blayre owns "Flouretta" in New Hampshire. 

She now hosts a podcast called Whisk Management, where she helps small bakery owners share business tips and stories.

9. Season 9 (2023): Hollie Fraser 

Hollie is from Port Moody, Canada, and calls her experience “life-changing.” 

She later joined other Food Network competitions like Sweet Empire, Bake Master Battle, and The Big Bake Halloween, winning two of them. 

She still runs "Punk Rock Pastries", known for its bold cake designs.

10. Season 10 (2024): Manny Martinez 

Manny runs "The Grim Bakers" with his wife, Monique, in Texas. 

The couple say their bakery is “a family cauldron of creativity.” 

They also have two kids and often share new Halloween-themed cakes online.

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The winner of the 11th season, Melanie Bjork-Jensen, was officially announced on October 27, 2025. 

She is a Utah-based baker who has no formal training and she runs her own e-bakery while giving virtual baking classes.

Each winner of Halloween Baking Championship shows how a single moment on TV can spark long-term success. 

The show, despite its difficult topics and scary judging, has turned into a showcase for the genuine pastry skills of the U.S. and other countries. 

The spectators eagerly wait for every fresh season, not just to witness the imaginative cakes but also to find out which confectioner will turn their zeal into a lasting enterprise. 

The program's legacy is indeed getting larger every October 31.

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Stay tuned for more updates.