Kids Baking Championshipseason 13 will see a change to the hosts and judges for the first time as Kardea Brown takes Valerie Bertinelli’s place alongside Duff Goldman after 12 seasons, and Kardea was the perfect choice for her replacement. In January 2024, a devastatedValerie announced that she was fired fromKids Baking Championshipdue to budget cuts. Fans were also very sad to hear that Valerie wouldn’t be returning to the beloved culinary competition series because they’d come to love seeing her on the show.
In October 2024,Kardea announced that she’ll be the new host and judge ofKids Baking Championshipwith Duff. Kardea is best known for starring in her own cooking show,Delicious Miss Brown, and serving as a judge onSpring Baking ChampionshipandHoliday Wars.Although Valerie was adored by the fans and the kid bakers, Kardea was the ideal choice to replace her. Here’s why Kardea will makea fantasticKids Baking Championshiphost and judge.
1Kardea Brown Has Real-World Experience Working With Children
Kardea Began Her Career In Children’s Social Services
When Kardea revealed that she’d be following in Valerie’s footsteps as theKids Baking Championshiphost and judge, she also shared that she began her career in children’s social services. In an Instagram post,Kardeawrote that her new role meant so much to her, and it came back full circle. She explained that, for those who may not know,she started her career in children’s social services nearly 16 years ago.
Kardea added that she’s been a social worker, a teacher and a counselor. She said that she absolutely adores working with children, and it will always be at the center of her heart. Not only will Kardea be a great replacement for Valerie because she has a genuine love of children, but she’s uniquely qualified to work with them.Kardea has real-world experience working with children in different capacities, so she’ll know exactly how to help them handle the stresses ofcompeting inKids Baking Championship.
2Kardea Brown Has Hosted Kids Baking Championship Holiday Reunion Specials
Kardea Has Stepped In For Valerie In The Past
Even before Valerie was fired fromKids Baking Championship, she was sometimes replaced during the holiday reunion specials by other people, including Kardea.Kardea was the host and judge of “Sweets-Giving,” “Reindeer Games,” “Scary Good,” and “Frosting the Snowman.” Those Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas specials were like auditions for Kardea, as she gained experience with the kid bakers in theKids Baking Championshipkitchen.
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Although Valerie was missed during thoseKids Baking Championshipspecials, Kardea did a phenomenal job. She proved that she was capable of holding her own next to Duff, who’s been the host and judge of the show for 12 seasons. It’s no wonder that theKids Baking Championshipproducers decided to give her this new role after how well she did during the holiday specials.Kardea has already proven herself to be spectacular at the role.
3Kardea Brown Is Wonderful With The Kids
The Kids Are Drawn To Kardea
During theKids Baking Championshipreunion episodes, Kardea showed that she has a special relationship with the kid bakers. The children on those shows had been in the Food Network kitchen before during their own seasons, so they’d already experienced working with Valerie. However, they warmed up to Kardea right away, and they were drawn to her.It’s exciting to think about how much she’ll bond with the new kid bakers when she works with them for a full season.
Kardea has a warm personality, but she’s also very charismatic and bubbly. Because she started her career working with children, it’s obvious that she knows how to relate to them. AlthoughDuff and the kids already knew each other, Kardea didn’t seem like an awkward addition to the show. Instead, she appeared as though she’d known them all for years, which made it easy to watch.Kardea made the kids feel comfortable and safe to express themselves in the kitchen. Valerie did the same, so she can be confident that Kardea will follow in her footsteps.
4Kardea Brown Is An Excellent Baker
Kardea Has Made Many Delicious Desserts On Her Show
Kardea is an outstanding baker, which is important for someone who’ll be judging someone else’s desserts. OnDelicious Miss Brown, Kardea has made many delectable desserts, including a Limoncello trifle, panna cotta with fresh berries, strawberry snowball cookies, sticky rice pudding with mango, sweet bread with pineapple jam, Carolina mud pie, Charleston chewy cheesecake with orange marmalade glaze, and mini maple-glazed doughnuts with coconut “bacon.”
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In addition, Kardea has made homemade banana pudding, apple berry cobbler, ultimate chocolate chip cookies, pineapple carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, PB&J stuffed cupcakes, molten chocolate cake, mini sweet potato pies, strawberry lemon cheesecake bars, blackberry hand pies, toasted coconut layer cake, and many others. All of these recipes are available onFood Network.Like Duff and Valerie,Kardea loves baking, and she’s an expert in the field, so she knows exactly what to look for when judgingKids Baking Championship.
5Kardea Brown Has Great Chemistry With Duff Goldman
The Duo Works Very Well Together
Duff is not only an incredible chef, but he’s the master of the dad joke, as he’s proved in every season ofKids Baking Championship.Kardea and Duff already work together inSpring Baking Championship, where they have a great rapport. This has transferred toKids Baking Championship, where their camaraderie has been evident in the holiday specials. Valerie and Duff had a terrific relationship, but he also seems to work well with Kardea.
In her Instagram post, Kardea referred to Duff as her friend, and she wrote that not only does she get to experience watching the kids do what they love, butshe has another opportunity to work with Duff, who she genuinely admires. She added that she could never replace what was built over the last decade.
Kardea concluded by saying thatKids Baking Championshiphas been a fan favoritefor many years for a reason, and she’s just thankful to be a part of it. As the hosts and judges of theKids Baking Championshipholiday specials,Kardea and Duff have been very entertaining together. They even dressed in costumes for the “Scary Good” Halloween special episode, which really made the kids smile.
6Kardea Brown Is An Honest But Gentle Judge
Kardea Will Follow In Valerie’s Footsteps
Like Valerie,Kardea is an honest, but gentle,Kids Baking Championshipjudge. She gives the kids truthful feedback without hurting their feelings. In a show about children, there’s a delicate balance between being critical and cruel. Although Kardea judges adults onSpring Baking ChampionshipandHoliday Wars, she knows how to adjust her critiques for children.
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Throughout her 12 seasons onKids Baking Championship, Valerie was known for being very motherly toward the kid bakers. She was always there to offer a hug and kind words of encouragement if they got flustered while baking, which calmed them down and helped them to continue with their tasks. Valerie was the kids' biggest cheerleader, but she also offered them gentle criticism when necessary.It’s easy to imagine that Kardea will be the same way because she’s such a sweet person.
7Kardea Brown’s Personality Lights Up The Room
Kardea Is A Fun & Funny Host & Judge
After watching Kardea onDelicious Miss Brown, fans know that her personality lights up the room. She’s charming, fun, and funny, and she’s proven time and again that she was made to be on television.Kardea makes everyone feel like family, including viewers, when she welcomes them into her kitchen. This will be true for the kid bakers as well. In addition, Kardea holds her own in her own series, so she’ll easily fit into the ensemble atKids Baking Championship.
When working with children, it’s important to be down-to-Earth and adaptable, especially since they’re known for speaking their minds. Kardea’s personality will help her to deal with anything that comes her way duringKids Baking Championship.In addition,Kardea is warm, welcoming, and relatable, as she’s shown onDelicious Miss Brown,Spring Baking Championship, andHoliday Wars. She’s a pleasure to watch, and she’ll bea superb addition toKids Baking Championship.
8Kardea Brown Brings Representation To Kids Baking Championship
It’s Important For Children To See A Role Model Who Looks Like Them
As a Black woman, Kardea brings representation toKids Baking Championship. She’s of Gullah descent. BecauseKids Baking Championshipis a show about children, it’s important for them to see an adult who looks like them on the show.Kardea is a lovely role model for all children, but it’ll be especially inspiring for Black girls to see that they can grow up and follow in her footsteps. This is a beautiful thing forKids Baking Championship.
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By adding a person of color toKids Baking Championship, the show has brought in a new perspective. In addition, Kardea is a contemporary Southern cook, who was born in Charleston, South Carolina, soshe’ll have expertise that varies from that of Duff, who’s from Baltimore, Maryland. With her background, Kardea brings something completely new and different toKids Baking Championship.
Although Valerie is going to be greatly missed onKids Baking Championship, Kardea is the ideal replacement for her. She has the expertise and personality to hold her own next to Duff. She’s also a kind person who will work very well with the kid bakers. As fans anticipateKids Baking Championshipseason 13, which has an “Amazing Animals” theme, they can also look forward to Kardea bringing a new perspective to the show after a decade on the air.Kardea is the perfect person to host and judgeKids Baking Championship.
Kids Baking Championshipseason 13 premieres on Monday, August 02, 2025, at 8 p.m. EST on Food Network.
Kids Baking Championship
Cast
Kids Baking Championship is a reality competition series that premiered in 2015 on Food Network. The show features young bakers between the ages of 9 and 13 as they compete in various baking challenges. Hosted by Duff Goldman and Valerie Bertinelli, the contestants' skills and creativity are put to the test in the hopes of winning the title and a grand prize.
