Chris Tucker‘s adorable presence and fantastic abilities in the kitchen were a major focal point on The Great American Baking Show in 2018 (outside of the yummy Paul Hollywood and iconic Emma Bunton). He managed to do quite well on the popular ABC program where during week two he was crowned star baker.
Since then he’s launched is own Beyonce/Sasha Fierce kind of baking persona called “Betta With Butta”. It’s even his Instagram name which continues to grow on a daily basis. Here you can order all kinds of delicious goodies especially ones he’s dishing out for the holiday season that are nothing short of scrumptious to look at.
The culinary wizard chatted with us at Instinct Magazine about everything from his early years to where he is now in our exclusive interview with him.
You are described as a Southern baker at heart, which is adorable and sexy all at the same time! At what age did you discover you liked to bake?
Yes, A Southern baker at heart! I’ve been baking and playing with flour since I could walk. I’m from the South and come from a family of cooks. My Mimi is who I garnered all my baking skills from, as she and I found it to be our special time to bond one on one. My other set of grandparents owned a restaurant in Georgia where I would spend my summers, and that is where I picked up more of my savory set of skills.
Who were your biggest inspirations culinary wise? Were they at home or in front of your television screen?
I would have to say Mimi was my biggest culinary influence. She is the one person in my early life that really implored me to get in the kitchen with her and where my passion for baking was truly born. Aside from that, I was the type of kid that, when not watching Saved By The Bell, I was watching the Food Network and retaining things from an early age.
Tell us about your time on The Great American Baking Show. Was it everything you could’ve ever asked for?
I loved being on The Great American Baking Show! As someone who has always been a massive fan of the British version, having the chance to go to London and shoot on the same lot and be immersed in the culture of their city was a dream! The cast was great, the entire crew was a dream, and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat!
If you had to pick only one dessert you could bake the rest of your life what would it be and why?
That is a tough one! I’m the type that will become obsessed with something until I perfect it (in my eyes), but then I’m done with it and ready to move on to something else. If I had to pick, I would probably say my Chocolate Caramel Cake because it’s one of those things that doesn’t seem to get old to me!
Why do you think savory chefs have such a hard time in the baking department? We see them complaining about it so much on a variety of television shows.
Baking and cooking only have one thing in common, they use heat to cook the dish! They really are such polar opposites. When you are cooking a savory dish, it is a lot more of a feeling and personal taste, meaning you can throw a dash of this and a dab of that to get to the result in your mind’s eye. When it comes to baking, you’re dealing with precise weight measurements and volume percentages to develop a recipe. Now, I say all that to say that I truly believe that anyone can become a baker with a little bit of practice and the right kitchen tools!
Oh! Tell us about your Thanksgiving Dessert Boxes. They look amazing!
Our Thanksgiving Boxes did phenomenal! We sold out them within 12 hours of hitting our platform but have now launched our Holiday Boxes which are LIVE on our website now! They are packed with all the holiday flavors you think of this time of year and ship nationwide!
In conclusion what’s next for you in your booming career?
We like to say the sky’s the limit! We are having a lot of fun doing guest spots on TV, working with brands to develop recipes for their products, and continuing to do our part with the rising food insecurities that are sweeping the nation due to COVID. There were already too many people going hungry in our world, but unfortunately that number continues to rise on a daily basis because of the unemployment crisis. If we all do a little something to help our neighbors, we would be amazed at the impact!