Seaside-Pacific Grove home baker competes in Food Network’s Holiday Baking Championship
SEASIDE, Calif. (KION) The Holiday Baking Championship returned for the 8th season on the Food Network. The top 12 holiday bakers in America are competing against each other for the ultimate prize of $25,000 and a spot in Food Network Magazine along with the title of Holiday Baking Champion.
Among the contestants are home baker, Philippe Costa from Seaside and Pacific Grove.
"Baking just was a big family thing for me, and I baked with my grandmother when I was younger," Costa said. "And now, especially that she's not with me, I just take her love with me and I bake with it."
Philippe was born and raised on the Central Coast. "The salty air, the sea, the sand and Monterey, it's just part of me," he said.
He started baking as a teenager with both his grandmother and his great-grandmother. Over time, his interest grew and even when they passed, Philippe said it was a way to remember his grandmother and just celebrate the great times they had together. For many years, Philippe would bake for friends and family. He said they would always ask him why he didn’t make cakes for a living.
“I never thought about being a baker. I just did it because I loved it so much,” Costa said. “And then I'm like, It's time for a change. And why not?”
And so he started selling at farmer’s markets on the side while he worked in the restaurant industry for several years. Philippe is known as @thecakeguy on Instagram where he makes deliveries from all over the Monterey Peninsula. He said his favorite cake he made was one inspired by Michael Jackson.
He recently gave away the maple and candied bacon donuts he made on the first episode of the show. Bakers had to create two kinds of donuts that bridge fall and winter into flavors.
Costa had moved to Seattle at one point to pursue a degree in Baking and Pastry Arts. After coming back to the Central Coast a few years ago, Costa said he was ready to start his dream of owning his own bakery. That’s when the Food Network came into the picture.
A few of his friends were looking into competing in the Championship, but couldn’t make it and so they recommended Costa.
“And so they asked them if they had any other suggestions of people and my name was thrown in there,” He said, “And the rest is history."
Costa was working at Trader Joe's when he got the call from the Food Network. At first, they told him he was a day away from finding out whether or not he was going to be on the show.
"They asked me how it would be if I got picked and I said it'd be amazing. And then they said, “Well, you're on the show!" Costa recalled, "There's a little bit surreal because I was at work and I didn't scream and shout, but I was feeling it all inside."
Contestant Philippe cooking process, as seen on Holiday Baking Championship, Season 8. 
Costa is currently looking for a location to open his own bakery shop on the Central Coast. In the meantime, anyone can order from his Instagram and he’ll deliver to Monterey, Carmel, Pebble Beach, Pacific Grove, Seaside, Del Rey Oaks, Marina, or Salinas.
