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Santa Fe resident takes on the 'Holiday Baking Championship'
Chase Maus enjoys a world where science, math and art intersect.
It’s not in a laboratory — rather a commercial kitchen. This is where the magic happens.
“There’s a whole realm of creativity,” Maus says of being a pastry chef. “I love to eat pastries and I specialize in making croissants.”
The Santa Fe resident — by way of Kentucky — is one of 12 contestants competing on the Food Network series, “Holiday Baking Championship.”
The 12th season kicks off at 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 3, on Food Network. A new episode is released each Monday through Nov. 24.
This season, the 12 competing bakers are split into two teams — Naughty vs. Nice.
According to Food Network, host Jesse Palmer welcomes contestants into an adorable, immersive holiday village with a working coffee shop, general store and town hall.
The teams will take on tasks like “Snow Day Desserts,” “Chrismukkah Platters,” and of course, “Naughty Elf Desserts.”
Judges Duff Goldman, Nancy Fuller and Kardea Brown will determine which baker will earn the title of Holiday Baking Champion, receive a feature in Food Network magazine and grand prize of $25,000.
The competitors are: Alyx Abreu of New Orleans; Nico Alkalay of Denver; Jeanna “Gia” Barnes of Troy, Alabama; Jean Carlos of Orlando, Florida; Daniel Gray of High Point, North Carolina; Tarek Husseini of St. Louis; Erin Michelle Luttrell of Kansas City, Missouri; Camrey Smith of Detroit; Ashleigh Wright of Frisco, Texas; Charles Zimmerman of Charlottesville, Virginia; Violet Zoner of Ithaca, New York and Maus.
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Maus moved to Santa Fe about two years ago and grew up watching Food Network.
“I always saw it on TV,” Maus says. “I thought to myself that this could be a fun challenge. I never thought to apply. I was in between a seasonal job and thus began the process. It was a quick turnaround for the show.”
Maus filmed the show during the summer and doesn’t remember his time on set too much.
“I was in the moment,” Maus says with a laugh. “I was focused on doing the best job that I could do. I didn’t want any distractions. Getting back home, I had to remain tight-lipped about everything. Eventually, I forgot that I participated.”
Maus is excited about seeing everything he said and did on the show.
Being focused on the competition helps him remain calm.
“You can get caught up in the stakes,” Maus says. “My goal was just to do my best. The pressure is insane when you have 13 cameras buzzing around you. It makes the kitchen hotter. I found having the group of bakers with me was comforting.”
Moving to Santa Fe has helped Maus’ creative side blossom.
He splits his time working as a pastry chef at Paloma in Santa Fe and as an instructor at Dirty Laundry Hot Yoga.
“I’m self-taught,” he says of his pastry skills. “I’ve been in the industry for almost 10 years. Growing up, I was always interested in the scientific side. With pastries, it’s all about precision. Once you know the parameters, you can start to bend and break the rules. The experience on the show changed me as I learned a lot.”
