Next Great Baker (season 1)
The first season of Next Great Baker was televised from December 6, 2010 to January 24, 2011 on TLC. During this season, the last contestant standing would win $50,000 cash, a Chevrolet Cruze and an apprenticeship at Buddy's bakery, Carlo's Bake Shop in Hoboken, New Jersey.
Show opening
Each episode opens with the contestants engaged in a foodfight, with each contestant introduced. Near the end, Buddy enters the kitchen from his office, saying "This is gonna get ugly!", only to be clobbered in the face by a piece of cake.Portions of the opening were also used in promos for the series; the early promos leading up to its premiere also included The Archies' Sugar, Sugar in the background.
Contestants
Ten chefs competed in the competition.| Contestant | Age | Occupation | Hometown |
| Brian Stevens | 37 | Owner of Crazy Cakes Inc.; Senior Artist for Sony Online Entertainment | Austin, Texas |
| Corina Elgart | 32 | Owner of , a specialty cake shop in Syosset, New York | Huntington, New York |
| Dana Herbert | 34 | Owner and Pastry Chef of Desserts By Dana; Head Chef of the Delaware River and Bay Authority | Bear, Delaware |
| Greggy Soriano | 26 | Wedding Cake Designer | Jersey City, New Jersey |
| Jay Qualls | 42 | President and Cake Designer of Maples Wedding Cakes | Nashville, Tennessee |
| Joseph "Joe" Glaser | 47 | Pastry Chef/Owner, La Bella Torte | Brooklyn, New York |
| Johanna Lyons | 29 | Co-owner, Sugar Plum Bakery | Hanson, Massachusetts |
| Kendra Jordan | 31 | Sixth Grade English Teacher | Emporia, Virginia |
| Megan Rountree | 23 | Owner of Legacy Cakes | Keller, Texas |
| Pamela Ahn | 29 | Electrical Engineer; Owner of PamCakes | Washington, DC |
Contestant progress
;NotesEpisode guide
| No. in series | No. in season | Title | Original air date | Contestant eliminated |