The dessert-making skills of a budding Surrey baker are showcased on an elimination-type TV show devoted to chocolate treats.

Newton-area student Jujhar Mann, 21, is among 10 sa国际传媒渉ome bakerssa国际传媒� competing for a $50,000 grand prize on The Food Networksa国际传媒檚 billed as sa国际传媒渁n ooey-gooey, decadent chocolate dessert competition series.sa国际传媒�

The second-season show is another step toward a pastry-chef career for Mann, who says he wasnsa国际传媒檛 encouraged to bake as a child, but always admired the art of baking and cake decorating. He dreamed of becoming a pastry chef and having his own bakeshop one day.

sa国际传媒淢y parents never said no, it just wasnsa国际传媒檛 the norm for a South Asian boy to bake,sa国际传媒� Mann said Friday (March 19).

sa国际传媒淚t just wasnsa国际传媒檛 encouraged, and it was difficult because I kind of felt trapped, not doing what I wanted to do,sa国际传媒� he added. sa国际传媒淚 only really started baking in 2018, three years ago. Isa国际传媒檝e always been a creative person, hands-on, working with my hands, but I never baked at home. Isa国际传媒檓 not like other contestants who say theysa国际传媒檝e been baking since age four, or whatever.sa国际传媒�

As a creative outlet, Mann started baking after completing a stressful first year of business studies at Simon Fraser University. Last year, when classes went online during the pandemic, he applied to appear on sa国际传媒淕reat Chocolate Showdown,sa国际传媒� was selected, and flew to Toronto to film the eight-episode series, which airs Mondays.

Meantime, he was also handling inquiries for the online bakeshop hesa国际传媒檇 launched sa国际传媒渇or funsa国际传媒� as an in August 2018.

sa国际传媒淚t was so much fun being on the show but also intense, because I was a full-time student with four classes and it was all supposed to be a secret, too, me being on the show,sa国际传媒� Mann recalled. sa国际传媒淚 didnsa国际传媒檛 take any orders during that time, because I just couldnsa国际传媒檛.sa国际传媒�

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Launched as Jujharsa国际传媒檚 Dessert Bar, Mannsa国际传媒檚 business is now known as Mann & Co Bakeshop, a portal for custom cakes, dessert bars and more. His plan is to open a storefront location in Newton later this year.

On the TV show, the Kwantlen Park Secondary grad said hesa国际传媒檚 up against competitors from Texas, Portland, Philadelphia, Toronto and other North America cities, with all desserts judged by Anna Olson, Steve Hodge and Cynthia Stroud.

sa国际传媒淚 watched the first season (of the show) last year and I contacted the contestants to ask them about it, the experience, and then I applied to be on it,sa国际传媒� Mann recalled.

sa国际传媒淧eople talk about how COVID stops them from doing things,sa国际传媒� he added, sa国际传媒渂ut for me it was helpful, because I could do online school and the show, and after the filming I attended a pastry school in Las Vegas.sa国际传媒� I just returned from there last week. My business degree ends next month, and now I am a pastry chef as well. My dreams are becoming a reality.sa国际传媒�

Those dreams now include expanding his business and doing more TV shows sa国际传媒� maybe doing his own one day, too.

Online, Mann can be seen in .

tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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