BAKE Off legend Liam Charles knows all too well the demands of competing inside the famous white tent under the watchful blue eyes of Paul Hollywood.
The popular baker, 25, who finished fifth in series eight, has now lifted the lid on the toughest part of the competition after applications opened for the 2023 series.
Liam says no matter how well prepared bakers think they might be ahead of the show, they will crack under the stress of the unique challenges and tough time limits.
He said: “Oh, it’s definitely a mental thing first and foremost, sometimes you second guess every little decision you make in the tent, even though you’ve practised it a million times!”
While Liam might not have made it to the final, it didn’t stop his stock from rising and he landed a high-profile presenting gig on Bake Off: The Professionals and was a judge on Junior Bake Off.
He relished being on the other side of the kitchen, alongside comedian Tom Allen, and was very muck keen to lift competitors up.
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He said: “It’s a pretty cool actually – you get to learn how cameras, sound, all the technicalities of making a TV show works. Also, it’s just nice to know that I work with a production company that want the best for the bakers and genuinely believes in them.”
As a former contestant it’s little surprise that Liam remains a fan of the show that made him famous.
He was full of praise for this year’s winner Syabira and was impressed with her progression over the course of the show.
“I have been watching it and think the bakers are sick this year!” he said. “I also watched the final and what a great winner! Syabira definitely grew as the weeks went by but overall, she absolutely smashed it. To be honest any the finalist could have won so it made for a brilliant watch!”
Liam is now using his platform to help combat food wastage by teaming up with Hellmann’s, who have launched the free Fridge Night App to help people reimagine their leftovers.
The initiative, which comes after research found food waste is costing families £780 per year on average, is one Liam is passionate about.
He said: “Food waste is really close to my heart – I can’t bear the thought of throwing food away, so my biggest rule of thumb is not to overcook. But, if you do, my best advice is to use the Hellmann’s Fridge Night app to reimagine your leftovers or freeze up leftovers into portions and save for another day.
“It’s an easy way to save money too! Since I partnered with Hellmann’s, I’ve been using the app’s easy step-by-step flexible recipe method to make the most of my leftovers and avoid food waste. The idea is that you put together a leftover protein, any veggies, a carb, and a magic touch ingredient, such as Hellmann’s mayonnaise, to create a tasty dish. It’s a great approach to creating delicious recipes out of the foods left at the back of your fridge.
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“The amazing thing about leftovers is that they can go into so many recipes, but sometimes it can be hard to find inspiration on what to create – that’s why I love Hellmann’s ‘flexipes’ from the Fridge Night app.
“I’ve been using the tool to find recipes for my leftover foods and my favourite so far is definitely the Pizza Wrap Hack. We always have some sort of wraps, left over peppers and maybe a few chunks of chorizo in the fridge, add a spread of tomato sauce, a mix of Hellmann’s mayo, a sprinkle of cheese and you’ve got an easy makeshift pizza on your hands. It’s my nephew’s favourite too!”
To find out more or start your Fridge Night journey, visit https://www.hellmanns.com/uk/fridge-night.html
