Bake Off: The Professionals 2026: winners, contestants and results

Benoit on the standard of this year’s teams

Benoit worked at Raymond Blanc’s two-Michelin-starred Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons for more than 30 years, where he was chef pâtissier and led a team of 13 pastry chefs.

He was team president of the UK team in the 2011 Pastry World Cup, served as chairman of the UK Pastry Club and was awarded the title of MCA (Master of Culinary Arts) in 2005.

Asked about the standard this year, Benoit said: “As always, I’d say the standard is really strong. They don’t all necessarily start at the highest level, but every team grows during the competition, and gets better as time goes on, which is great to see.

“It’s always a real mixture, which is part of the beauty of the show. The pastry industry is vast, and full of people from different backgrounds. So we’ve got chefs who work in Michelin-starred restaurants, others have come from the great five-star London hotels, and then we have people who work in a little family-owned chocolate shop.”

The series concluded with the longest challenge ever set on Bake Off: The Professionals: a 12-hour Masquerade Ball Banquet.

The three finalists first produced two desserts for a halfway judging. Valentina and Aurora were eliminated after six hours, leaving Ashish and Loki and Aubin and Avneet to complete another three desserts and their full banquet displays.

Ashish and Loki were subsequently named the winners of series 11.

Benoit said: “I think it was about 12 hours in total. They were given 12 hours to create a banquet-size table, displayed with showpieces made out of chocolate and sugar work. Go big or go home – and it was time to go home anyway, so we went big.”

Cherish on series 11

Cherish is a world-renowned pastry chef, international pastry consultant and TV chef, who has worked as executive pastry chef at The Langham Hotel and Pan Pacific London.

She has won a host of awards during her career, including Dessert of the Year, Pastry Chef of the Year and The Macallan Lifetime Achievement Award at the World Gourmet Summit in 2015.

Cherish has also been appointed as chair of pastry judges for the 2026 National Chef of the Year and Young National Chef of the Year competitions.

Asked about this year’s series, Cherish said: “The standard this year is exceptionally high and continues to elevate with each series. We are seeing some of the UK’s most talented pastry chefs, and the level between teams is incredibly close, so even the smallest detail can make all the difference.

“For me, the standard has truly skyrocketed. The contestants are more refined, more creative, and far more daring in their approach. It’s not just about technique anymore, it’s about precision, elegance, and pushing boundaries. That’s what makes the competition so intense and exciting.”

Discussing the range of teams involved, she added: “The teams this year came from across the full breadth of our industry: hotels, cafés, patisserie restaurants, and large-scale catering operations and that really showed in their work.

“Each team brought a distinct strength, whether it was precision, creativity, efficiency, or consistency, reflecting the demands of their environment. This diversity not only elevated the competition but reinforced the exceptional standard seen throughout.”

How to apply for Bake Off: The Professionals series 12

Applications are now open for Bake Off: The Professionals series 12.

Love Productions is looking for teams of two professional pastry chefs. One person must apply as team captain and nominate a teammate, although the two chefs do not need to work at the same establishment.

Applications can be submitted at applyforbotp.co.uk until Friday, September 18, 2026.

The complete 2026 series is available to watch through Channel 4’s streaming service.