Tune into Gordon Ramsey’s new competition show that’s dropping next month and you’ll see two familiar faces.
Dallas-Fort Worth bakers Maricsa Trejo of La Casita Bakeshop and Nikki Jackson of Absolutely Edible Cakes and Catering are competitors on the new series Next Level Baker, which airs Dec. 4.
The show is the baking equivalent of Next Level Chef, in which competitors of varying experience levels race against the clock to pick ingredients off a platform and cook in a three-tiered set featuring three kitchens with a range of quality and tools. Along with Gordon Ramsey, the mentor chefs and judges for Next Level Baker are celebrity chef Carla Hall and Candace Nelson, founder of Sprinkles Cupcakes.
A classic croissant pictured at La Casita Coffee, located in Half Price Books along Northwest Highway in Dallas
Elías Valverde II / Staff Photographer
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“The thought of grabbing something in 30 seconds and figuring out what to do with it seemed really cool to me,” said Trejo.
Trejo has competed in two other TV competitions, Chopped and Food Network’s Halloween Baking Championship, but she said this one came with a different degree of pressure.
“I was freaking out,” she said. “I was baking for Gordon Ramsey. Standing in front of him, I felt like I couldn’t say anything, and I’m not one who struggles to talk.”
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Jackson, who opened her Rowlett bakery and catering business more than two decades ago, said she was nervous, too.
“I was scared to death‚” she said. “I’ve watched Hell’s Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares, of course I was nervous. I’m still nervous!”
Business owner Nikki Jackson boxed up freshly baked Sweet Potato Thang at Absolutely Edible Cakes and Catering in Rowlett, Texas, January 31, 2024. TikTok food critic Keith Lee visited her shop and gave her glowing reviews.
Tom Fox / Staff Photographer
Trejo said although it’s stressful, competing on culinary competition shows has helped her get out of her head in her daily work running a business and creating new menu ideas.
“I plan ahead too much sometimes,” she said. “I end up not doing something because I think it’s not fully planned. I think it’s helped me get over it and just do things and run with it.”
The first episode of the three-week Next Level Baker special will air Dec. 4, 2025, at 8 p.m. on Fox. It will be available to stream the following day on Hulu.