Deep River baker reaches quarterfinals of Greatest Baker Contest

DEEP RIVER — A rural Deep River baker and pastry chef is in the running to bring home a $10,000 cash grand prize and be featured in Bake From Scratch Magazine.

Alyssa Pierce, 21, has reached the quarterfinal round of the Greatest Baker Contest presented by Buddy Valastro and sponsored by Colossal.org.

Pierce learned about the contest on Facebook in the fall, sent her resume and posted photos of her baking creations in her portfolio.

Pierce was selected to be in the contest by a panel of judges.

She also answered questions about favorite thing to bake, how long she’s been baking and what will she do with the $10,000, should she win.

Pierce said her favorite thing to bake is cake. “There are so many different designs and flavors to explore,” she said. “I love to make people’s ideas come to life in cake.”

Pierce said she has been baking since she was 6. At age 11, she decided that she wanted to be a baker when she grew up. And she did.

After graduating from HLV High School in 2020, Pierce went through the Baking and Pastry Arts program at Kirkwood Community College.

“I found my forever job in January 2022 as a baker and soon to be pastry chef at Grinnell College,” said Pierce.

At Grinnell College, Pierce bakes breakfast, lunch and dinner foods and also does a lot of catering of bakery goods.

‘Baking is my passion,” Pierce said. “I put my pride, joy, time, effort and hardest work into everything that I create.”

Pierce is currently working on her American Culinary Federation certification to become a certified working pastry chef.

And if she wins the competition, she plans to open a bakery in her hometown of Victor.

“They don’t have anything like that there,” she said.

The competition got underway Nov. 27, and Pierce quickly moved through the first five tiers of the contest, reaching the quarterfinal round.

Quarterfinal round voting got underway Jan. 8 and will continue through Jan. 18.

Semifinal voting begins Jan. 19. Finals are Jan. 26 — Feb. 1. The overall winner will be announced on Feb. 9.

Pierce said each voter gets one free vote every 24 hours.

In addition to the top prize, one baker contestant will be awarded a Critics’ Choice Honor, $5,000 in cash and a photography feature in the same magazine.

To vote, visit greatestbaker.com/2023/alyssa-pierce.

If Pierce wins the grand prize, in addition to being featured in the Bake From Scratch Magazine, she will have the opportunity to meet Valastro, also known as The Cake Boss.

“Thank you to all of my friends and family for voting for me,” she said. “Keep it up and help me bring home the grand prize.”