'Kids Baking Championship' Shakes Things Up with Major Change to the Judges' Table

Another new season of Kids Baking Championship has arrived, but there's a significant change to the host and judging lineup. If you recall, back in January 2024, actress Valerie Bertinelli announced that she was let go from the reality series due to budget cuts.

Valerie had been the face of the show since 2015, co-hosting and judging alongside pastry chef Duff Goldman for 12 seasons. So, who's filling her shoes this season? Here's what you need to know about the current judges on Kids Baking Championship.

Season 13 of Kids Baking Championship marks the first permanent hosting change in the show's history. Now, longtime host and judge Duff Goldman is joined by Kardea Brown, who replaces Valerie Bertinelli as co-host and judge.

Most of us are familiar with Duff Goldman — he's a businessman, pastry chef, television personality, and author. He is the executive chef of Charm City Cakes, a Baltimore-based bakery featured on Ace of Cakes on Food Network. He also runs Charm City Cakes West in Los Angeles, which appears on Duff Till Dawn and Cake Masters.

In addition to his own shows, Duff has appeared on various other programs, often serving as a judge on cooking competitions, including Kids Baking Championship.

He's also written three cookbooks: Ace of Cakes: Inside the World of Charm City Cakes, Duff Bakes: Think and Bake Like a Pro at Home, and Super Good Baking for Kids.

The new judge, Kardea Brown, is a Southern chef and caterer from Charleston, S.C. She is of Gullah/Geechee descent, a community of African Americans from the coastal regions of South Carolina and Georgia who have preserved much of their West African language, culture, and culinary traditions.

Kardea is the founder of the pop-up New Gullah Supper Club, where the menu honors the dishes passed down to her by her grandmother and mother.

She's best known as the host of Delicious Miss Brown on Food Network and has also made appearances on Beat Bobby Flay, Chopped Junior, Cooks vs. Cons, Family Food Showdown, and Farmhouse Rules.

In October 2022, she released her debut cookbook, The Way Home.

Kardea is no stranger to Kids Baking Championship. She's previously judged both Kids Baking Championship and Spring Baking Championship, and co-hosted seasonal specials, including the Kids Baking Championship Thanksgiving special in 2023.

"Having the chance to share my love of food has been a dream come true and I am so thrilled to continue this journey with Food Network," Kardea said in a statement. "I look forward to celebrating the holidays with fans and celebrating these extra special and talented bakers, big and small, and all their incredible creations."

Duff also praised Kardea's role on the show during an interview with People, telling the outlet, "Kardea has been so much fun as a co-host. She is absolutely killing it. She is so good with children," he said at the time of filming. "She has such a huge heart."

In addition to her warm personality, Duff noted, "Her culinary chops are great. She knows what she's talking about." He continued, "But seeing her with kids, she has just absolutely blossomed. She is so natural and easy with them. The kids just implicitly trust her. It's lovely. It's really, really great. I am so excited about it."

Watch Kids Baking Championship on Mondays at 8 p.m. EST on Food Network.