Behind the Scenes: I got to be a judge on Food Network's The Julia Child Challenge

And the winner is ...

Hello! Hello!

If you’ve ever watched any cooking competitions – until recently the only one I’d followed was The Great British Bake Off – you know the moment at the end of an episode when the winner of the day is announced. By its very nature, it’s a tense time. But it’s made even more nerve-fraying by the way it’s done. The person who has the honor of declaring who came out on top says something like, “And the winner is …” and then there’s a pause. And another. And another. I imagine the judge counting “1 Mississippi, 2 Mississippi” in her head. Then finally, the winner’s name is called out in full voice. I’ve always thought that it must be so hard for the contestants. Now I know that it’s hard for the judges, too.

I was a guest judge on the finale of Food Network’s new show, The Julia Child Challenge, and here’s the word from the other side of the stove: Even when you know who the winner is, and even when you’re not the one making the announcement, the moment is fraught. You’ve been w…