"I can’t control any of that": Holiday Baking Championship judge Kardea Brown hits back at critics after "negative comments"

Holiday Baking Championship returned with a new season on Food Network on Monday, November 3, 2025, at 8:00 p.m. ET, featuring 12 bakers welcomed by host Jesse Palmer to an adorable, immersive holiday village with a working coffee shop, general store and town hall.

Season 12 introduced a new format, featuring the best bakers from across the country divided into two teams: Team Naught vs. Team Nice. These teams would compete against each other, tackling challenges such as “Snow Day Desserts,” “Chrismukkah Platters” and “Naughty Elf Desserts."

The judges returned, including Duff Goldman, Nancy Fuller and Kardea Brown, who reviewed the desserts and cakes while determining the fate of the bakers.

They will also decide which baker will earn the title of Holiday Baking Championship and receive a feature in Food Network Magazine, along with $25,000.

Here's what the Holiday Baking Championship fame celebrity chef said in the video

Holiday Baking Championship star chef Kardea began her message by acknowledging that she needed to speak up about the online behavior she has been seeing.

“Cousins, I need to get something off my chest,” she began in a Facebook post on December 5, 2025. Right away, she made it clear that the negativity had reached a point where she couldn’t stay silent anymore.

She explained just how shocked she was by the tone of the responses to her previous post:

“The amount of adults leaving negative comments on my last post is alarming. I hear you……you’re tired of competition shows and you want Valerie back.”

She didn’t dismiss anyone’s feelings, but she also wanted to set boundaries and correct some assumptions. That’s when she reminded people that she doesn’t control casting decisions or the direction of the network, as she noted:

“But guess what?! I can’t control any of that, so leaving nasty comments on my page won’t change a single thing.”

Kardea went on to defend the kid-focused baking competitions that some viewers have complained about. She pointed out that these shows are not just filler, but they’re genuinely loved.

“Kids genuinely love these children focused baking competitions, which is exactly why they’ve lasted for so many years.” She reminded everyone that TV is made for a wide range of audiences, adding, “It’s not always about one person’s preference…..there are billions of people in this world, and what YOU don’t enjoy, someone else might. If it’s not for you, simply don’t watch.”

She further called out adults for forgetting the very principles they teach their children, writing,

“And honestly, I think as adults some of us have forgotten the core principles we teach children: be nice, be kind, and if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. We need to get back to the basics of manners.”

Criticizing how social media encourages cruelty, the Delicious Miss Brown host said,

“Social media has become a breeding ground for unnecessary meanness and unhappy people, and it doesn’t have to be.”

Lastly, she brought the focus back to what matters: families who enjoy these shows together and the exciting season ahead, concluding the Facebook post.

“This is a family oriented show, and so many families enjoy watching together. And to those families? Get ready for a spectacular season with lots of talented kid bakers and a theme I think the entire family will love!”

Stay tuned for more updates.