Student Spotlight: Abby and Cameron Bellezza
Student Spotlight: Abby and Cameron Bellezza
Keeping a secret can often feel delicious — maybe even more so when you’re a kid baker who has been chosen to be on Food Network’s “Baking Championship: Next Gen.”
Meet siblings Abby and Cameron Belleza — two Colonial School District students whose sweet secret is now out, big-time. Since the Food Network show premiered Jan. 5, the two have been on a publicity blitz throughout the Philadelphia area, baking up treats for media personalities on WPHL 17, B101, Fox-29, and doing interviews with the Chestnut Hill Local, the Philly Voice, and others.
You might say the brother-and-sister duo is eating it all up, both literally and figuratively.
“It’s been a great ice-breaker to say I’m on a TV show,” said Abby, who is a ninth-grader at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School.
Cameron, a sixth-grader at Colonial Middle School, said it’s not uncommon to have students he doesn’t know come up to him and ask if he’s been on the Food Network, and teachers often stop him in the hall.
“They watch the show on their own time and they say ‘Cam, great episode, buddy,’” he said.
What’s on television now is the end result of a years-long journey for the two students. Abby said she has always loved baking and started at a very young age making cookies and brownies. Then Cameron came along, and like many younger siblings, he wanted to follow in his sister’s footsteps. Both students said that baking helps them feel chill.
“It’s a very relaxing activity because you have to be really concentrated,” said Abby. “It’s a great way to unwind.”
Cameron agreed that he has to be “dialed in” while baking so it helps calm him down.
“I like to see (a recipe) come about and then I get to eat it, of course,” he said.
Cameron said his interest in baking grew during the pandemic, because it was a time when he immersed himself in cooking shows.
“I thought I could see myself on those shows one day,” he said, adding that he is a huge fan of Duff Goldman, a pastry chef who hosts the various baking championship shows on Food Network and once had his own reality show called “Ace of Cakes.”
Cameron started sending in applications to the Food Network. He shared numerous videos and photos of his baking attempts. Similar to learning a new recipe, it took several tries. Eventually Food Network representatives mentioned to Cameron they were working on a show involving teams of siblings, and asked him if he had a brother or sister who would join him.
“Abby jumped right in,” he said.
From March to May of 2025, the duo was involved in multiple rounds of interviews and they found out at the end of the school year they had been chosen to be on the show.
“I felt incredible (when I found out),” said Abby. “But we still had to keep it secret for a long time.”
But just like any bakers guarding a secret recipe, they were able to keep things under wraps. They started preparing for the competition by baking at home and memorizing some recipes they had developed. In June of 2205, they flew to Burbank, California, to shoot the show for several weeks.
During each episode, the young bakers are challenged to bake cookies, cakes, or cupcakes and to decorate them according to a certain theme. Sometimes they are challenged to use certain flavors or ingredients. Teams have a set amount of time to bake, and then present their creations to judges Duff Goldman and Kardea Brown. Each week, a team is eliminated if what they make isn’t as tasty or as attractive as their competitors.
In addition to the baking, the show highlights each sibling team’s unique qualities. Abby and Cameron made it clear from the first episode that they were there to represent the Philly area with pride. Cameron also made a connection right away with Duff, who enjoyed his signature headbands. Cameron said it was “insane” to meet one of his idols in person.
For the premiere, the teams had to prepare cupcakes and create a pie from scratch. Abby and Cameron made chai latte cupcakes and an apple pie and continued on in the challenge. The two said they had to think fast on their feet and that the skills they learned in school helped throughout the experience.
“I actually say I used all my ELA (English/Language Arts) and math skills,” said Cameron. “Baking is all fractions.”
Abby said the ability to be creative and analytical (skills she developed in school), were important during competition. At the same time, being on the show taught the two some skills they are bringing back to their classrooms.
“We definitely learned a lot baking-wise, but we also got a lot of social skills,” she said.
They made a lot of good friends while shooting the episodes, and plan to keep in touch with their fellow bakers.
“We’re interested in the same kind of stuff,” said Abby.
While the show was exciting and kept them on their toes, the siblings also experienced some disappointment. In the Jan. 26th episode, the judges were critical of the “puzzle cake” that they made, and therefore Abby and Cameron were eliminated from the rest of the baking competition. But the two seemed to take it in stride.
“A lot of the outcomes depended on what everyone else did,” said Abby. “It taught us how to take criticism.”
It’s possible viewers may see them again before the series is over. Abby and Cameron can’t comment on that right now - viewers are encouraged to keep watching the show to find out. As for their future as bakers, Abby said she definitely wants to continue baking as a hobby whereas Cameron wants a culinary career.
“My dream in life is to own a restaurant or a bakery and hopefully get on the Food Network again soon,” he said.
See Abby and Cameron’s local media coverage by clicking on the links below: