Celebrity Chef Carla Hall to Host $1 Million 47th Pillsbury Bake-Off® Contest

Celebrity Chef Carla Hall to Host $1 Million 47th Pillsbury Bake-Off® Contest

The public will vote online to help determine the contest's $1 million grand prize winner, who will be announced on ABC's "The Chew" on December 3

MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 27, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Celebrity Chef Carla Hall has been named the official host of the 47th Pillsbury Bake-Off® Contest, which will be held November 3, 2014 at the Omni Nashville Hotel in Nashville, Tenn. The multi-talented chef and author is a co-host of ABC's popular lifestyle series "The Chew" (1:00 - 2:00 p.m. / ET on ABC).

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Carla will emcee the Bake-Off® Contest Award Show on the evening of November 3, 2014. During the show, Carla will announce the four category winning recipes selected by Contest judges to advance to the competition's final stage--a public online vote--to vie for the $1 million grand prize.

The online vote will be open to the public from November 3 (following the conclusion of the award show in Nashville) - December 2, 2014. The results of the public vote will be combined with the judges' decisions to determine the $1 million grand prize winner who will be revealed for the first time on "The Chew," December 3, 2014.

"For many decades, the Bake-Off® Contest has brought people from all different walks of life together to celebrate making and enjoying delicious food," said Carla Hall. "I can't wait to host this year's Pillsbury Bake-Off® Contest."

"With her "Top Chef" experience, Carla can relate, firsthand, to the excitement and pressures the finalists competing in the Bake-Off® Contest face, which is one of the many reasons we're excited to partner with her," said Shera Balgobin, Bake-Off® Contest Manager. "Her vibrant personality and contagious energy will bring even more excitement and spectacle to the Bake-Off® Contest floor and award show."

Leading up to the live grand prize winner announcement on "The Chew", Carla will chronicle the contest and heart-warming stories of the talented home cooks competing for the grand prize. Tune in to "The Chew" on December 1-2, 2014 for Carla's behind-the-scenes look of the iconic Bake-Off® Contest as well as recipe demonstrations from the four category winners. "The Chew" airs weekdays at 1:00 p.m. Eastern / Noon Central and Pacific on ABC.

About the 47th Pillsbury Bake-Off® Contest
Earlier this year, Pillsbury invited home cooks to submit their original recipes for consideration in one of four categories: Simply Sweet Treats, Savory Snacks & Sides, Weekend Breakfast Wows or Amazing Doable Dinners. The Bake-Off® Kitchens evaluated all of the eligible entries and chose the top 100 to compete at the Contest finals on November 3, 2014.

At the Contest finals, the 100 finalists will each prepare their original recipes for judging. A panel of independent judges, made up of leading food experts and media, will select the best recipe in each of the four Contest categories based on taste, appearance, creativity and crowd appeal.

Following the Contest finals and through Tuesday, December 2, 2014, America will be invited--for the first time ever--to vote online for their favorite of the four category winning recipes. The results of the public vote will be combined with the judges' decisions to determine the winner of the Contest's grand prize of $1 million plus $10,000 in GE kitchen appliances. The remaining three category winners will each receive $10,000 along with $3,000 in GE kitchen appliances.

This year, eight special awards are also up for grabs including the GE Imagination At Work Award, Jif® Peanut Butter Award, Crisco is Cooking(TM) Award, Eagle Brand® Signature Recipe Award, Pillsbury(TM) Gluten Free Award, Pillsbury(TM) Clever Twist Award, Watkins(TM) Vanilla Award and Reynolds® Baking Magic Award. The recipient of the GE Imagination at Work Award will win $5,000 in GE kitchen appliances; all other special award winners will each receive $5,000.

To learn more about the 100 recipes competing in this year's Bake-Off® Contest, go to BakeOff.com.

Sponsors of the 47th Pillsbury Bake-Off® Contest include The J.M. Smucker Company, GE Appliances, Green Giant, The J.R. Watkins Company, Reynolds Consumer Products and Pyrex.

About Carla Hall
Carla Hall is a co-host of ABC's popular lifestyle series "The Chew," seated alongside restaurateurs and "Iron Chef America" stars Mario Batali and Michael Symon, entertaining expert Clinton Kelly and health and wellness enthusiast Daphne Oz. Hall is best known as a competitor on Bravo's "Top Chef," where she won over audiences with her fun catch phrase, "Hootie Hoo" and her philosophy to always cook with love. Hall is the owner of Carla Hall Petite Cookies, an artisan cookie company that specializes in creating sweet and savory "petite bites of love." Her approach to cooking blends her classic French training and Southern upbringing for a twist on traditional favorites. She is committed to health and balance in everyday living. Her newest cookbook, Carla's Comfort Food: Favorite Dishes from Around the World was published March 2014, and her first cookbook, Cooking with Love: Comfort Food That Hugs You, was published in November 2012 and recently re-released in paperback.

A native of Nashville, TN, Hall received a degree in Accounting from Howard University, but traveling through Europe awakened her passion for food and inspired a new career path. She attended L'Academie de Cuisine in Maryland where she completed her culinary training, going on to work as a Sous Chef at the Henley Park Hotel in Washington, DC. She also served as Executive Chef at both The State Plaza Hotel and The Washington Club, and has taught classes at CulinAerie, Sur la Table and her alma mater, L'Academie de Cuisine. Hall is a true believer that, "If you're not in a good mood, the only thing you should make is a reservation." She lives in Washington, DC with her husband, Matthew Lyons, and stepson Noah.

About "The Chew"
Celebrating and exploring life through food, "The Chew," is an innovative and groundbreaking daytime series co-hosted by a dynamic group of engaging, fun, relatable experts in food, lifestyle, and entertaining. Produced by Gordon Elliott's Chew Productions for the ABC Television Network, "The Chew" serves up everything food -- from cooking and home entertaining to food trends, restaurants, holidays and more -- all aimed at making life better, fuller and more fun. Featuring celebrity chefs Mario Batali, Michael Symon, and Carla Hall, entertaining expert Clinton Kelly and health and wellness enthusiast Daphne Oz, "The Chew" is a leap forward into a delicious new kind of lifestyle series. Follow "The Chew" (@thechew) and hosts Mario Batali (@mariobatali); Michael Symon (@chefsymon); Clinton Kelly (@clinton_kelly); Carla Hall (@carlahall) and Daphne Oz (@DaphneOz) on Twitter (TM)

About the 47th Pillsbury Bake-Off® Contest Sponsors?
General Mills is one of the world's leading food companies, operating in more than 100 countries around the world. Its brands include Cheerios, Fiber One, Haagen-Dazs, Nature Valley, Yoplait, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Green Giant, Old El Paso, Wanchai Ferry, Yoki, and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., USA, General Mills had fiscal 2014 worldwide sales of US $17.9 billion. Pillsbury products have been trusted by families to make meal times special times for more than 130 years. Favorite Pillsbury products include refrigerated cookies, crescent dinner rolls, breads, biscuits, pie crusts and sweet rolls as well as frozen biscuits, pie crusts and breakfast items. For product information and great-tasting recipes, visit www.pillsbury.com. Log on to www.generalmills.com for company information.

Few companies enjoy a heritage as rich as that of Green Giant. It all started more than 110 years ago in 1903, when the Crosby family created the first cannery in the rich valley of Le Sueur, Minnesota, where glaciers carved out some of the richest soil in the world. For generations, Green Giant farmers have been growing the best quality vegetables and freezing them quickly to lock in the freshness. That's how we've made our vegetables deliciously unforgettable for years, and made Green Giant a trusted household brand. For more information and delicious recipes, please visit www.greengiant.com,
www.greengiant.com/giantdifference.

For more than 115 years, The J.M. Smucker Company has been committed to offering consumers quality products that bring families together to share memorable meals and moments. Today, Smucker is a leading marketer and manufacturer of fruit spreads, retail packaged coffee, peanut butter, shortening and oils, ice cream toppings, sweetened condensed milk, and health and natural foods beverages in North America. The Company's wide variety of iconic brands and products include such trusted favorites as Smucker's® jams, jellies, preserves, fruit spreads and ice cream toppings; Jif® peanut butter; Crisco® oils, shortening and no-stick cooking sprays; Eagle Brand® sweetened condensed milk; and Pillsbury® baking mixes, ready-to-spread frosting and flour. For more information and delicious recipes, please visit www.smuckers.com, www.jif.com, www.crisco.com, www.eaglebrand.com and www.pillsburybaking.com.

GE Appliances is at the forefront of building innovative, energy-efficient appliances that improve people's lives. GE Appliances' products include refrigerators, freezers, cooking products, dishwashers, washers, dryers, air conditioners, water filtration systems and water heaters. General Electric (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter to build a world that works better. For more information on GE Appliances, visit www.ge.com/appliances.

Reynolds Consumer Products is a leading provider of quality household essentials that have been trusted for generations. Our Reynolds® and Hefty® brand products help with preparation, cooking, cleanup, and storage, making mealtime easier. Our namesake Reynolds® products include the iconic Reynolds Wrap® Aluminum Foil; Reynolds® Parchment Paper, Oven Bags, Slow Cooker Liners, and Baking Cups; and Cut-Rite® Wax Paper. The Hefty® brand is best known for strong, dependable waste bags, but it's also a leader in slider bags, foam plates, and plastic cups. Our products are available in the U.S. at mass merchants, grocers, and other retail stores, and in approximately 90 countries throughout the world. For more information, visit www.ReynoldsKitchens.com and www.Hefty.com.

For more than 145 years, The J.R. Watkins Company has been creating superior products, utilizing only the finest ingredients. Generations of families have grown up on Watkins products, like our pure vanilla, which has been a baking mainstay for over 100 years. Watkins products include gourmet spices and extracts, personal care, and home care. The company is headquartered in Winona, Minnesota and manufactures all of its products in the U.S.A. To learn more about Watkins products visit www.jrwatkins.com.

Loved for generations, experienced cooks and beginners alike have reached for Pyrex® glassware products because they're durable, reliable, easy to use and affordable. We value our made in the USA heritage and are working hard to ensure we remain a mainstay in American kitchens for generations to come by dedicating ourselves to designing new favorites that help cooks feel successful and confident. For more information, please visit our website at www.worldkitchen.com/en/pyrex.

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Pillsbury

CONTACT: Pillsbury Bake-Off® Public Relations, BakeOff.PublicRelations@genmills.com, Samantha Klein, 312-729-4329, sklein@golin.com

Web Site: http://www.pillsbury.com


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