CALGARY - A former Stoughton woman, Monique Regier, competed in a team of three on the Big Bake show on the Food Network on a Halloween-themed episode, and it will air on Monday, Oct. 18 at 6 p.m.
Now living and running her own baking business in Calgary, Monique graduated from Stoughton Central School in 2002, and has owned and operated her home-based business for the past four years. She is the daughter of Kim and Sharlet Coderre of Stoughton.
The path to competing on the TV baking show began when the Food Network contacted her friend, Amanda Jones, about taking part in the Big Bake competition. Amanda in turn enrolled her, and a third team member, Victoria German, to compete with her, and they formed the “Buttercream Dreams” team.
This was Monique’s first time to take part in such a competition, but Amanda had done this before.
The big challenge in this contest was to make a really big cake, measuring five feet high and 2.5 feet wide, with a five-hour time limit and with a design that earn the approval of the judges, said Monique.
Asked if as a professional baker she had ever made one this large before, she replied, “Definitely not this big, which is what makes it challenging,” she said.
The show was actually taped some time ago, as they flew to Toronto in February, but due to delays and COVID disruptions, they weren’t sure when it would get to be shown. Even before the taping, there were challenges with cancelled flights and delays, and not knowing if it would get rescheduled.
Her home-based business is called Butter Love Sugar, and she makes cakes and cupcakes for all sorts of occasions, from wedding and anniversaries to birthdays. Monique had previously worked for 12 years as a sales manager, but after having a son in 2016, she wanted a way to have better balance between work and her family.
“I decided not to go back to work, and I wanted to pursue my love of baking,” she said.
Of this challenge, she said, “I do cakes almost every day, but you never have a time limit like this one. The time is really a challenge. They almost made it impossible, but the stakes are high.”
Her friend Amanda is a designer, and in their businesses they often work together where Amanda provides the ideas and design, and Monique bakes accordingly – and that’s how they were able to work as a team for this competition.
Monique added that she and her team had fun doing the show and had a good time. They aren’t allowed to say how it went, as the winner of the $10,000 prize will be revealed on the broadcast.
The judges included chef Eddie Jackson and Terry Eastwood.
Monique’s team and friends are planning to hold a watch party for the show’s broadcast at the Silver Springs Golf and Country Club in Calgary.
Her mom Sharlet said she and Kim and their two daughters who live in Stoughton will gather at their home to watch the show.
