Annapolis Teen Competes On Food Network Baking Show

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Annapolis teen Misha Jones will compete on Food Network's "Kids Baking Championship," which is set to premiere on Monday.

The 13-year-old Magothy River Middle School student is one of 12 kid bakers who will whip up challenging — yet delectable — desserts in the upcoming season. The new batch of competitors come from all over the U.S. and Canada. Only one kid baker will win the $25,000 grand prize.

Jones caught the baking bug from his mother, who could always be found baking and cooking around the house, he told the Capital Gazette. Whenever he visited his grandmother, he and his mother would whip up some food.

Jones, who started a baking Instagram account called @Mishas.kitchen last year, didn't know about the Food Network show — or have cable — until recently, the Capital Gazette reported.

"I didn't have cable until very recently. I didn't even know about the show, but my friend Danny from dance class, he'd seen my baking Instagram (@Mishas.kitchen) and said I should apply," Jones told the outlet. "I knew there was a one-in-a-billion chance for me getting on. After a long time and a lot of waiting and a lot of interviews, I got on and it was really crazy."

Jones told the Capital Gazette that everything happened really quickly. At first, Jones was nervous to bake in front of cameras. But in time, he said, he fell into his "natural state of baking."

"It's a lot more relaxed than you see on the show. For the first episode, for me at least, it was like, 'Woah, I'm on the show now and people are recording me.' It happened very fast for me and it's really nerve-wracking at first. But once you get into it, you realize, 'This is what I like to do. I do this all the time.' And you fall into your natural state of baking," Jones told the Capital Gazette.

"I also really like baking in the kitchen," he added. "It had everything you could ever need. Full equipment. It was really cool looking. They had a blast chiller; they had this really cool whipped cream maker that you could shake to make whipped cream. They had everything you could ever need to make anything. Definitely the coolest kitchen I've ever baked in."

Jones said he enjoyed his time on the show and became friends with some of the contestants.

"I made some really great friends at "Kids Baking Championship." We hung out a few times and I even baked with them at their house. With my friend Karthik from "Kids Baking Championship," I went to his house in New Jersey and he and Jenna (another contestant on the show) and I made a cake together," Jones told the outlet.

"Hanging out with the other kids on breaks from filming was one of the best parts of the show," he continued. "Outside the show, the whole cast would go to restaurants together and hang out. It was a lot of fun."

Jones competes on the sixth season of "Kids Baking Championship." The show premieres on Monday, Jan. 7 at 9 p.m.

Photo courtesy of Food Network