AURORA - Crowded into his basement with around 30 family member and friends, screams broke out at Steven Levitt’s house as they witnessed “a Christmas miracle.”
Facing off against a cast of professional bakers, the amateur baker from Aurora rose to the competition, winning the Food Network’s Holiday Baking Championship in a dramatic, Cinderella-esque finale, which aired on Monday, Dec. 23.
Levitt successfully navigated a series of challenges and hurdles across the eight-episode series, fending off stiff competition from professional bakers from across the United States to come out on top and win the US$25,000 cash prize.
The finale was a roller-coaster ride for Levitt, as he was tasked with an array of festive-themed challenges, including baking an eggnog-flavoured dessert and a gingerbread house.
“Partway through the final bake, I was convinced there was zero chance,” said Levitt. “I had so many things going wrong.”
He said rather than “crumble,” he felt a weight was lifted off of him.
“‘OK, I have no chance of winning. I’m just gonna have fun now,’” he recalled saying to himself. “‘For the rest of the day, they can’t send me home, it’s the last time I’m baking here. I’m going to enjoy it.’”
Levitt is not new to television baking shows, having appeared on The Great Canadian Baking Show in 2021, and then on the Christmas special The Great Canadian Holiday Baking Show in 2022. He was a finalist both times.
“For me, it’s not about winning, although that’s nice. It’s not about being on TV, although that’s kind of cool,” said Levitt. “I love the process of it. I love being there. I like the clock ticking. I like the baking. I love the cameras and the producers and all the background people. I love all of that.”
A self-taught baker, Levitt ’s journey only started with making recipes at home in 2015. Finding he had a passion for it, he expanded his repertoire and baked some cakes for friends and family during the pandemic.
“I like to challenge myself, and you won’t always be the last man standing, the last person standing,” said Levitt. “But by challenging yourself, you find you can do things maybe you didn’t think you could do. It’s an incredible feeling.”
Since competing on the Holiday Baking Championship, he’s been stopped and recognized outside Upper Canada Mall, and he said he’s had great support from the local community.
Often they have one main question: Does he plan to set up his own bakery? Levitt said while he loves baking, he already runs his own business, and said he has no plans, although he would be open to a return to TV if called upon.
“If they ever called me and said, ‘We’d love to have you back. What would you think about being a host?’” said Levitt. “Well, that I would do in a heartbeat because that ... for me would be the most fun.”