What Jocelyn Delk Adams Looks For When Judging Other Bakers On TV - Exclusive
"I can be pretty opinionated when it comes to food," Jocelyn Delk Adams told Mashed in an exclusive interview, adding that the trait probably comes from her family's roots. "We have some very specific opinions about everything that we make. And so ... I think that's carried over into my food career." Her approach to culinary criticism has served Delk Adams well as the chef has appeared as a judge on a variety of food cooking shows like "Beat Bobby Flay," and easily knows her way around any televised kitchen setup, per Today.
Delk Adams' expertise as a baker also takes center stage when she has to appraise contestants, and her experience as the head of her brand Grandbaby Cakes has significantly influenced the way she approaches food. "I think the fact that when you are in the food industry, especially as someone who curates and creates recipes on a regular basis, you get a lot of feedback from your followers, from your readers," Delk Adams continued. "And I have gotten so much feedback, thousands and thousands of comments and glowing reviews and then of course, people who just completely shame recipes [so] I am used to it, and I feel like I've been in the participants' shoes."
How Delk Adams' experience as a baker colors her judging abilities
During her interview with Mashed, Jocelyn Delk Adams added that, when it comes time to be a judge on cooking competitions, she tries to remember that what participants are doing is difficult and puts that perspective into the feedback she gives. "I'm really sort of there just offering advice and ways in which they can improve, so it doesn't feel like I'm coming in to just bash them and bully what they're doing," she said.
The culinary whiz added that there's a lot of fear that comes when competing on a cooking or baking show "because it's very different from doing it in your kitchen [when] you're in your comfort space. ... When you get in front of a gazillion cameras and you're in that pressure cooker and the timer is going, it's a very different situation. And so something that you could be completely comfortable doing at home over and over and over again, when you see that clock ticking, it just puts a whole different perspective on it."
To that end, she said her main motive is to let the participants know that doing their best and feeling as comfortable as they can in the scenario is the most important thing. "And just remember that, at the end of the day, you should be proud of whatever you do because this isn't a very easy thing to do," she concluded.
For recipes, cookbooks, and baking tips from Jocelyn Delk Adams, head over to Grandbaby Cakes and follow her on Instagram.