The Pillsbury Bake-Off is a cookingcontest, first run by the Pillsbury Company from 1949–1976, 2013 to 2014, and since 2017 as an annual contest. From 1978 to 2012, the contest was held biennially. There was no contest in 2015 to 2016.
History
The first contest was held in 1949 as the Grand National Recipe and Baking Contest and hosted in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. The grand prize was originally $25,000. From 1996 to 2014, the grand prize was $1,000,000. Since 2018, the grand prize is $50,000 plus a kitchen makeover from GE Appliances. The only required ingredient in the early contests was Pillsbury's BEST Flour. There was no contest in 1965 because the contest was moved from October to February. Occasionally, there has been a male category winner. The only male champion was Kurt Wait of Redwood City, California, who won in 1996; that year, 14 of the 100 finalists were men. The contest had reverted to an annual contest in 2013 and 2014, after the previous 18 contests were held on the even-numbered years. In 2014, the contest added eight additional "Sponsor Awards" for a prize of $5,000 each. Categories and winners included: GE Imagination At Work Award: won by MaryJo Watkins of Scottsdale, Arizona – Muffuletta Mini Pies Jif® Peanut Butter Award: won by Brenda Watts of Gaffney, South Carolina – Macaroon-Peanut Butter-Chocolate Tartlets Crisco is Cooking™ Award: won by Greg Fontenot of The Woodlands, Texas – Grilled Potato and Roasted Salsa Verde Pizza Eagle Brand® Signature Recipe Award: won by Barbara Estabrook of Rhinelander, Wisconsin – Peanut and Pretzel-Peanut Butter Thumbprints Pillsbury® Gluten Free Award: won by Merry Graham of Newhall, California – Herbs and Seeds Parmesan Crackers Pillsbury® Clever Twist Award: won by Marie Valdes of Brandon, Florida – Spinach Dip-Stuffed Garlic Rolls Watkins™ Vanilla Award: won by Antoinette Leal of Ridgefield, Connecticut – Very Vanilla Lemon Tarts Reynolds® Baking Magic Award: won by Elizabeth Bennett of Seattle, Washington – Chocolate-Peanut Butter-Filled Pretzels
Broadcast
Location held
1949–56, 1958, 1962, since 2018: Manhattan, New York, NY
