But a BBC spokesman said that Marie was not a pro baker because the cupcake business was just a sideline
Hmm.. It doesn't actually matter whether she has another job as well, if you make money doing something then you're a 'professional' at that thing. It doesn't have to be their sole profession. If this was an amateur sports event, she wouldn't be allowed to compete. They have a standard rule which is along the lines of 'if you have earned money at this thing in the last year, you're not allowed to enter'.
I'm with the BBC on most things but I think this time they've got it wrong. She's not someone who bakes for friends and family. She bakes to make money from it. That means she shouldn't be there.
Whether she's the favourite or not isn't the issue, it's simply not in the GBBO spirit.
Wow, she did a one week course and that makes her a pro
No, the fact she bakes and sells the results makes her a pro. The types who bake a cake for a summer fete then sell the results, for charity or not, is one thing but this is another.
Definitely, definitely one thing - if she mentions the cake company even once, she should be booted out.
I seem to remember back in the hazy wibbly wobbly mists of time that a contestant in an early series was actually shown selling? Their trial-bake cakes in a coffee shop?
No, the fact she bakes and sells the results makes her a pro. The types who bake a cake for a summer fete then sell the results, for charity or not, is one thing but this is another.
Definitely, definitely one thing - if she mentions the cake company even once, she should be booted out.
I agree. I have entered several painting competitions over the years which all stress that you must not be professional or have sold any paintings. Likewise my friend was shortlisted for Sewing Bee and they stipulated that you had to be an amateur.
In the unlikely event that I was on GBBO I would be OK because while I enjoy cooking and baking I have never sold any of my produce.
It amazes me that people like this think they can get away with it when they quite clearly are professionals.
The Mail must be are correct in what they say. This is a quote from a guest at her hotel -
But the best was yet to come, our meal has to rank amoungst the best i've ever experienced, 3 courses of the finest fresh Scottish ingredients prepared in a kitchen run by the classically trained Mrs Campbell. Her 5 years training in Paris showed in the perfection of this meal.
The thing with the bake off is it's so varied that even if she did train pastry in Paris for example.. that's not going to get her through the entire competition. And we've also seen that sometimes being the best technical contestant there doesn't always guarantee victory either. Every year there is a "clear favourite" in week 1 but I seem to recall they rarely win. So I think it balances itself out over the rounds.
In the end it just generates views for the show so it's all good publicity.
Although I'm not a fan of the story that the winner may have been leaked. Has the final already been filmed by the time the show airs?
From Armadale it was only a short drive to the Duisdale Country House Hotel. Our pretty room, complete with four-poster bed, had a view over the Sound of Sleat. In fact, we were soon taking in the fresh air and exploring a small pebble beach a short stroll away.
Originally built as a hunting lodge in 1867, the hotel has extensive groundscovering 25 acres if you want to enjoy forest or hill walks.
Owner and chef Marie Campbell trained at the Ritz Escoffier in Paris and ran her own school for chefs in Glasgow. No wonder the dining room has won so many awards. Dinner (pounds 30 for four courses) didn't disappoint.
We were greeted by the hotels owners and proprietors, mr and Mrs Campbell, and shown to our room, overlooking the vast blue sea and mountains of Scotland. The room was incredible, a four post bed, antique furnature, i could go on forever if i was a man of more words.
But the best was yet to come, our meal has to rank amoungst the best i've ever experienced, 3 courses of the finest fresh Scottish ingredients prepared in a kitchen run by the classically trained Mrs Campbell. Her 5 years training in Paris showed in the perfection of this meal.
I think one needs to already have a certain know-how to last in a baking competition. You won't get far on instincts and luck, because baking is a science. You have to follow rules precisely or your result is a failure. From what I read it seems Marie cooks professionally, but that's quite different from baking, IMO.
How much can anyone learn in a week long course though? It certainly doesn't make her a 'trained pastry chef'. However, having a business selling cakes (even as a sideline) does make her a professional I think - I have a friend who does that and she considers herself a professional baker even though it's not her main income. Mind you, and I say this as someone who hasn't baked anything since school, I doubt being able to make a good cupcake will help much when it comes to pies or bread.
How much can anyone learn in a week long course though? It certainly doesn't make her a 'trained pastry chef'. However, having a business selling cakes (even as a sideline) does make her a professional I think - I have a friend who does that and she considers herself a professional baker even though it's not her main income. Mind you, and I say this as someone who hasn't baked anything since school, I doubt being able to make a good cupcake will help much when it comes to pies or bread.
You make a valid point, however there are indications (from the reviews in the links a few posts earlier) that visitors to her Duisdale Country House Hotel were under the impression that she has had "5 years training in Paris" (in what we are not told). Of course, it could all be in cooking rather than baking. Or she could have been talking up her experience to impress the hotel customers.
Not a looker in the bunch this year which is a shame, apologise now for that, but had to be said, the baking is quite dull at times, distraction is needed.
And all the rather strange blokes creep me out slightly.
The claims of "I only did one a week course" and "I only baked the scones in the hotel" are proved untrue.
Before the full information about her work at he hotel came to light It must have been obvious that if she was training chefs she must have had more than 1 week training a some experience with scones.
3. You must not have any catering NVQ or other catering qualifications unless acquired over 10 years ago.
Her five years training was over 10 years ago.
4. You cannot have ever worked full time as a baker, cook or chef.
She was both a hotel owner with her husband and the head chef at the same time. So does that make her only a "part time" chef I don't know. Is teaching chefs in Glasgow called working as a chef or working as a teacher?
5. Your main source of income must not derive from commercial baking in a professional environment (restaurant, hotels, canteens, shops etc). The term ‘baking’ refers to the preparation and oven cooking of flour based goods such as bread, cakes, pastries, pies, tarts, and biscuits. It does not refer to other food forms that can be oven cooked, or other methods of cooking.
I assume her business "Mrs Campbell's Cupcakes" was her only source of income so maybe could be called her "main source of income". Although I don't know if you could live of the proceeds of such a business so she must have other finances and was it closed before she got on the show or after?
Who has any interest in Amanda Platell and her views anyway - silly woman. Bake off is a very enjoyable programme and a great many people share the same opinion as the viewing figures show.
Who has any interest in Amanda Platell and her views anyway - silly woman. Bake off is a very enjoyable programme and a great many people share the same opinion as the viewing figures show.
Agree about Amanda Platell "boring" comments.
The other journalists who wrote the Sunday Mail story about the "semi-pro" contest I think have more valid views.
I think some people would find less enjoyment in a programme which they didn't see as a fair contest with amateurs having little chance of winning against professionals.
The programme makers have made rules so they must agree.
Part of the enjoyment for some people is seeing an amateur winning, going on to do baking demonstrations at events and on breakfast TV, selling their books and if they were a secret professional they may feel cheated.
Each week the BBC website publishes recipes from some of contestants of Great British Bake Off. This week they have 2 recipes for Madeira cake including the Pistachio and rose Madeira cake made by Tamal. Strangely they also have a recipe for the Purple forest cake made by Stu. Wasn't his cake (all of his cakes) thought unpleasant, and that beetroot in a cake is good with chocolate but just doesn't work with cherry? Maybe my memory is flawed. It seems bizarre to include a recipe for a rubbish cake. I suppose we could all make Tamal's successful cake and also Stu's purple one and then do our own tasting and criticism.
Each week the BBC website publishes recipes from some of contestants of Great British Bake Off. This week they have 2 recipes for Madeira cake including the Pistachio and rose Madeira cake made by Tamal. Strangely they also have a recipe for the Purple forest cake made by Stu. Wasn't his cake (all of his cakes) thought unpleasant, and that beetroot in a cake is good with chocolate but just doesn't work with cherry? Maybe my memory is flawed. It seems bizarre to include a recipe for a rubbish cake. I suppose we could all make Tamal's successful cake and also Stu's purple one and then do our own tasting and criticism.
I think the recipe for the cake and the concept of the cake was good- it was just Stu's baking of it that drew criticism (mostly due to the fact that he was rushed because of the time limit).
About the 'cupcake business', baking cupcakes isn't exactly a rocket science. Any of the contestants, if they are worth anything, should be able to make them in their sleep.
Each week the BBC website publishes recipes from some of contestants of Great British Bake Off. This week they have 2 recipes for Madeira cake including the Pistachio and rose Madeira cake made by Tamal. Strangely they also have a recipe for the Purple forest cake made by Stu. Wasn't his cake (all of his cakes) thought unpleasant, and that beetroot in a cake is good with chocolate but just doesn't work with cherry? Maybe my memory is flawed. It seems bizarre to include a recipe for a rubbish cake. I suppose we could all make Tamal's successful cake and also Stu's purple one and then do our own tasting and criticism.
He cooked it on Extra Slice and they loved it.
Mind you, I doubt Jo Brand has criticised many cakes in her time! 😁
Comments
I'm with the BBC on most things but I think this time they've got it wrong. She's not someone who bakes for friends and family. She bakes to make money from it. That means she shouldn't be there.
Whether she's the favourite or not isn't the issue, it's simply not in the GBBO spirit.
Definitely, definitely one thing - if she mentions the cake company even once, she should be booted out.
She also ran 'Mrs Campbell's Cupcakes' from her home in Perthshire.
The operative word is "ran".
The business, run from her home and selling online, has closed. So was it really a professional setup? The BBC says that it was a sideline.
http://www.yelp.co.uk/biz/mrs-campbells-cupcakes-auchterarder
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/11792712/Great-British-Bake-Off-favourite-has-professional-training.html
It's a very grey area.
I agree. I have entered several painting competitions over the years which all stress that you must not be professional or have sold any paintings. Likewise my friend was shortlisted for Sewing Bee and they stipulated that you had to be an amateur.
In the unlikely event that I was on GBBO I would be OK because while I enjoy cooking and baking I have never sold any of my produce.
It amazes me that people like this think they can get away with it when they quite clearly are professionals.
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g551887-d191502-r473895-Duisdale_House_Hotel-Sleat_Isle_of_Skye_The_Hebrides_Scotland.html or
https://www.holidaywatchdog.com/21604-Isle_of_Skye-Duisdale_Country_House_Hotel-Holiday-Review.html
The "Scottish Daily Record & Sunday" review of the hotel confirms she was the chef and an award winning one at that.
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Travel%3A+Bonnie+break+was+Cuillin+us%3B+TRAVEL+%3A+SKYE+MARIA+CROCE+packed...-a0109925552
In the end it just generates views for the show so it's all good publicity.
Although I'm not a fan of the story that the winner may have been leaked. Has the final already been filmed by the time the show airs?
Yes, I think the previous finals have been recorded mid/late July
That's pretty damning:
You make a valid point, however there are indications (from the reviews in the links a few posts earlier) that visitors to her Duisdale Country House Hotel were under the impression that she has had "5 years training in Paris" (in what we are not told). Of course, it could all be in cooking rather than baking. Or she could have been talking up her experience to impress the hotel customers.
And all the rather strange blokes creep me out slightly.
The Scottish granny will win, och ai.
Before the full information about her work at he hotel came to light It must have been obvious that if she was training chefs she must have had more than 1 week training a some experience with scones.
Here is the application form and rules (word document) -
http://thegreatbritishbakeoff.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/GBBO6-Application-Form-2015.docx
Her five years training was over 10 years ago.
She was both a hotel owner with her husband and the head chef at the same time. So does that make her only a "part time" chef I don't know. Is teaching chefs in Glasgow called working as a chef or working as a teacher?
I assume her business "Mrs Campbell's Cupcakes" was her only source of income so maybe could be called her "main source of income". Although I don't know if you could live of the proceeds of such a business so she must have other finances and was it closed before she got on the show or after?
Agree about Amanda Platell "boring" comments.
The other journalists who wrote the Sunday Mail story about the "semi-pro" contest I think have more valid views.
I think some people would find less enjoyment in a programme which they didn't see as a fair contest with amateurs having little chance of winning against professionals.
The programme makers have made rules so they must agree.
Part of the enjoyment for some people is seeing an amateur winning, going on to do baking demonstrations at events and on breakfast TV, selling their books and if they were a secret professional they may feel cheated.
Frances Quinn - http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1408862387/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE
Luis Troyano - http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1910496448/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_4?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE
Richard Burr - http://www.amazon.co.uk/BIY-Yourself-savoury-recipes-expert/dp/1849496994/ref=pd_bxgy_14_text_y
Howard Middleton - http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1472135865/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1439209510&sr=1-1&keywords=howard+middleton
There is also a book coming out that gives fans a glimpse behind the scenes of the sgiw - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-British-Bake-Off-Another/dp/1473615607/ref=pd_sim_14_10?ie=UTF8&refRID=1SKD0RSNG4969P5CMB1V
It's so nice to see how appearing on the show has allowed so many of the contestants to share their recipes with a wider audience.
James also has a book out http://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Baking-Works-what-doesnt/dp/009195990X
Actually I think that's his second book this is his first one.
I think the recipe for the cake and the concept of the cake was good- it was just Stu's baking of it that drew criticism (mostly due to the fact that he was rushed because of the time limit).
... oh dear, that was my attempt at humour... snorts n bellows with laughter...
He cooked it on Extra Slice and they loved it.
Mind you, I doubt Jo Brand has criticised many cakes in her time! 😁