Lorraine Pascale on Winning Worst Bakers in America with Recruit Carla Johnson

Hear from Red Team mentor Lorraine Pascale on her win in Worst Bakers in America Boot Camp with recruit Carla Johnson.
Carla and Lorraine

Host Lorraine Pascale with her Red Team finalist, Carla Johnson. As seen on Food Network's Worst Bakers In America, Season 1.

Photo by: Chris Amaral ©2016, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

Chris Amaral, 2016, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

All season long on Worst Bakers in America, we've seen the friendly rivalry develop between longtime friends Duff Goldman and Lorraine Pascale. Each mentor came into the finale thinking he or she could win the bragging rights. But in reality there would be but one winner, and it was Lorraine and her Red Team recruit Carla. Gamblers may not have put their money on this pair to win, but that just goes to show that the underdog sometimes gets her way, as Lorraine points out herself.

FN Dish caught up with the winning mentor after the finale to chat about what it took for her to win with Carla, and find out what she has to say to sore loser Duff.

Lorraine and Carla celebrate

Finalist Carla Johnson learns she is the winner of Worst Bakers In America and the recepient of a cash prize of $25,000.00. As seen on Food Network's Worst Bakers In America, Season 1.

Photo by: Chris Amaral ©2016, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

Chris Amaral, 2016, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

What does it mean for you to win with Carla?

Lorraine Pascale: It's amazing that I won with Carla. She so deserves it, and I love where the money is going, what the money's going for, and she's been such a star throughout and full of energy, and it's great that she went from fake-a-bake queen to the winner.

Carla and Lorraine

Finalist for the Red Team, Carla Johnson meets with Host Lorraine Pascale to create a plan and recipe on what they will make for for their final baking challenge against the Blue Team, as seen on Food Network's Worst Bakers In America, Season 1.

Photo by: Chris Amaral ©2016, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

Chris Amaral, 2016, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

Did you always have confidence in Carla? It seemed like you were a little bit unsure of who to take to the finale.

LP: I didn't really have confidence that she would get to the finale. I knew she'd go a long way, but not all the way.

How did the past few days go with Carla? How was her performance on the practice day and then in the final bake?

LP: It was a challenge the last two days because I had to be quite harsh with her because I had to keep telling her to focus. So, I had to kind of quash that normal spirit that she had.

Lorraine and Carla

Finalist Carla Johnson adds colored sprinkles to her multi layered rainbow cake that she is making for the final episode of Worst Bakers In America, as seen on Food Network's Worst Bakers In America, Season 1.

Photo by: Chris Amaral ©2016, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

Chris Amaral, 2016, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

She had some trouble with getting the fondant onto the cake, and you came up with a different plan. How was it compromising and getting to the place where you both felt comfortable?

LP: We had lots of trouble with the fondant, and I think it was a great decision to just ditch it and go with the sprinkles.

How was it winning against Duff?

LP: It was amazing winning against Duff. You know, we're old friends, and he was very confident the whole show that he was going to win. So, it was nice to be the underdog and come forward and win it.

Lorraine and Duff

Host Lorraine Pascale makes Duff Goldman talk to her hand after tasting his chocolate cream pie, as seen on Food Network's Worst Bakers In America, Season 1.

Photo by: Chris Amaral ©2016, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

Chris Amaral, 2016, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

Do you have any words of smack talk against him?

LP: Well, if you're going to be confident, Duff, you've got to be quietly confident in case you don't win.

Are you going into the new season of Holiday Baking Championship with some bragging rights since you two are judges?

LP: Yeah, I could just tease him.
Do you have any parting words for Carla?

LP: Carla, you're a superstar. Keep up that spirit; keep up that energy. But if you're going to bake, keep focused.

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