If you find yourself stressed out from the crazy amount of assignments, midterms, and textbook-reading you have to do, The Great British Bake Off (or Show on Netflix) is for you.
Filled with scenic views of little lambs, green landscapes, and serene British ponds in addition to the amazing cakes and creations of the bakers, The Great British Bake Off is as whimsical as it is fun to watch. Originally aired for the first season in 2010, the show works as a baking competition among amateur, British home-bakers, all competing to be the “UK’s Best Amateur Baker.” Currently judged by baking experts Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood (the owner of the elusive Handshake!) and hosted by comedian Noel Fielding and actor Matt Lucas, the show brings in a new cast of 10 contestant every season and every year. Inspired by the style of an English village fête, each episode comprises of three bakes (a Signature, a Technical, and a Showstopper) and every weekly episode is themed, with one baker being eliminated every episode. It’s no doubt that The Great British Bake Off is Netflix’s most popular culinary show yet.
Now, you might be wondering why so many American viewers are obsessed with a show that is actually British, without any American contestants or anything. In my opinion, the fact that the show comes from a totally different country we aren’t familiar with just adds to the charm. Even though we all speak the same language, the difference between American and British culture is especially exemplified in the UK’s unique foods and bakes, from Sticky Toffee Puddings and Chelsea Buns to a Cornish Pasty or Battenberg cake. Every bake on this show is beautiful and complex, with flavors like elderberry and ginger to pesto and goat’s cheese. If this were an American baking show, the whole thing would probably be a cupcake-making competition (which we already have, it’s called Cupcake Wars). In contrast to American cooking shows like Chopped, The Great British Bake Off is about improvement and persistence; it’s a chance to see people like yourself compete in something they love to do, rather than professional chefs who have been to culinary or pastry school.
Watching The Great British Bake Off is not only a chance to watch people make incredibly tasty-looking, foreign foods, but it’s also a chance to learn some baking yourself! The show is riddled with tips and tricks from Paul and Prue, since all of the bakers are encouraged to improve over the show’s duration. If you’re watching and you see something you think is extra tasty, you can even go on their website and learn how to make it yourself!
Most of all, The Great British Bake Off is probably the most relaxing and wholesome show you will ever watch. This is interesting, considering there’s a lot of rushing and disaster involved in baking with a time limit, but there’s just something about baking in a pastel-colored tent in the English countryside that is so serene and calming. If you feel like you can’t take another episode of true crime shows or dramatic love stories, The Great British Bake Off is sure to be a fantastic stress-reliever compared to your usual Netflix binges.
So, if you’ve never seen The Great British Bake Off, now is as good a time as any to start! The show has just ended its eleventh season, remarkably filmed during quarantine, and it’s all already available on Netflix or Amazon Prime Video.