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Florissant Team Win Next Great Baker
Florissant contestants Al Watson and Lia Weber, Team Blue, were named winners Tuesday night of the on Next Great Baker, winning a year contract to run a Las Vegas bakery and $100.000. They were at separate parties at Yacovelli’s Restaurant and Hendel’s Market Cafe, both in Florissant.
Yacovelli’s hostred the party with Wedding Wonderland Cakeshop where Watson is chief baker. . Food and drinks were available for a fee. At 8, the finale was shown on three large screens to a packed restaurant using every room in the large restaurant and banquet center. Jack Yacovelli had said he expected 800 persons and it looked as if there might have been more. During the festivities, attendees had the opportunity to sample Watson’s handiwork from the Wedding Wonderland Cakeshop, the bakery where both bakers previously worked together. A large roulette table cake sat in front of two large screen television, while nearly a dozen more tvswee in other parts of the banquet center for viewing. A celebration erupted at 9:30 when the Blue team put the winning keys successfully into a door of the new Las Vegas Bakery where their winning cake is now displayed.
Wedding Wonderland Cakeshop owner Michael Temm, “We’re so proud of what Al and Lia have accomplished! They work extremely well together, and they are both very talented bakers and cake artisans.”
The parties at both locations continued after the show concluded – guests were invited to stay until midnight to celebrate Team Blue’s success and dance the night away.
At Hendel’s about a mile away, where Lea Weber is a pastry chef, and outdoor block party beginning at 6 p.m. St. Denis Street was blocked to traffic in front of the restaurant with a 15 x 20 foot screen for guests to watch the show. Weber, pastry chief, walked through the crowd of well wishers and signedf autographs all evening in a long dress fitting for a winner. She was obviously well prepared and she talked to so many friends at the gathering. Hendel’s offered station of specialty foods and craft beers. One of the stations will showcase desserts made by Weber.
“We were so happy and excited for this opportunity for our pastry chef and her teammante Al for making it to the final and then win the Next Great Baker,” said Christina Bennett of Hendel’s.
