Food Network’s Holiday Baking Championship sees twelve chefs competing as they whip up mouth-watering pastries and one of them is Kevin Conniff.
“Kevin is a pastry chef instructor and chocolatier in Calgary. He loves hosting with a full house during the holidays, and his two kids adore his baking. His youngest is a talented sous-chef who bakes with him like he used to bake with his mother. His oldest eats more than he makes and the whole family has lots of fun in the kitchen,” Kevin’s bio on FoodNetwork read.
“The opportunity to be part of the Holiday Baking Championship gives me a chance to feel challenged, be creative, and share my passion for sweets with viewers across the U.S. and Canada. I’m pleased to represent Calgary and Alberta,” Kevin told Savuor Calgary.
“It’s the Super Bowl of baking — at least, for me, it is,” he told Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) School. “It really tested my skills. I always kind of second-guess myself. I didn’t think I was going to get picked for the show, that I even had a chance. My goal was to just get there and not be the first one out.”
Kevin is sworn to secrecy on the competition outcomes, but he is clearly excited and happy to be on the show. He added further, “When I got there, I relied on my strengths. I’ve been teaching at SAIT for a long time and on a daily basis. I’ve trained myself to fix mistakes very quickly.”
Find out about his wife, parents, career, and age in this article below.
Kevin Conniff On Food Network’s Holiday Baking Championship
On November 6, 2023, the Food Network program began its yearly competition. The 2023 cast is working hard to win the $25,000 cash prize for the program since there can only be one winner.
The cast members that were competing on the show along with Kevin Conniff are Bert Alvarado, Greg Ballenger, Jennifer Carey, Javier Trujillo, Alex Jacks, Josh Juarez, Ali Kenis, Ashley Landerman, Sharrod Mangum, Thoa Nguyen, and Justine Rota. This year’s judging panel comprises Carla Hall, Nancy Fuller, and Duff Goldman. Jesse Palmer serves as the show’s host.
But almost half of the contestants have been eliminated and the ones that remain are Justine, Thoa, Sharrod, Ashley, and Javier.
Before the show’s premiere, Kevin took to his IG and announced, “Watch me on Food Network’s Holiday Baking Championship next month! I am thrilled to be a contestant in this year’s stellar line-up of bakers from across North America. Mark your calendars for the premiere on Monday, November 6 at 9 PM ET/PT on Food Network Canada or stream it on STACKTV.”
Kevin Conniff Career
Kevin Conniff from a very young age was interested in baking all thanks to his mother. Motivated by his mother, he divided his final two years of high school coursework between classes at a trade school where he learned how to bake and cook, and basic subjects like science, math, and English. After that, he was hired by a nearby bakery for his first job.
Speaking more on that, Kevin told Calgary Guardian, “I have loved baking since I was a child and worked in many small bakeries growing up. I now have the privilege of teaching students to bake but I was missing the entrepreneurial spirit. I wanted to show my children the small business world to help them learn about sales, expenses, hard work and determination.”
“The only way you could get into this bakery was starting as a dishwasher. My friend Matt was a dishwasher and for him to get promoted, he had to recruit a dishwasher — that was me,” Kevin told SAIT on the other hand.
Kevin studied at several Hudson Valley retail bakeries while attending the Culinary Institute of America. Although he enjoyed it, he realized that a change was necessary because the work in the area was seasonal. He moved down the Hudson River, applied to work at the Hilton, and found a whole new world of year-round, large-scale baking. He grew close to his tutor, who was a master pastry chef while working with him.
Kevin relocated to Hawaii from New York, where he worked in hotels and resorts before arriving in Alberta and making yet another career transition. He began his teaching career at SAIT in late 2008, and the following year.
Kevin is now the proprietor of Sweet Bella Chocolates, a nearby confectionery that specializes in chocolate bars and other treats with tea and spices added. Over the years, chocolate lovers and dessert connoisseurs in the area have devotedly embraced Sweet Bella Chocolate. With his steadfast dedication to quality and skillful artistry, Kevin has taken Sweet Bella Chocolate to new heights in Calgary’s culinary scene, achieving an unmatched standard of perfection.
In addition, he has taught pastry cooking for a long period at the esteemed Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) School of Hospitality and Tourism for more than 15 years.
Kevin Conniff Age
Kevin Conniff turned 46 years old in April 2023. His birth year is 1977.
Who Are Kevin Conniff Parents?
Kevin is the middle child of three boys born to his parents Paul Conniff and the late Anne Conniff (Conroy). Growing up, he was always found in the kitchen and helping out his mother. Speaking about his mom, Kevin shared, “My mom used to bake tons of pies and tarts and all kinds of stuff throughout the year. I was always underfoot, looking for cookies and things like that.”
Kevin’s mom Anne was born on June 11, 1944, in New York City to John and Mary Patricia (McClen) Conroy. She worked as an X-Tech Technician at NY Hospital for Special Surgery, Manhattan, and then Medicus in Wappingers Falls and LaGrange during her 50-year career. Sadly, she passed away on 9 June 2020 at the age of 75.
Kevin’s dad Paul is 77 years old and is likely alive as of 2023.
Kevin has two brothers named Brendan and Melissa Conniff of Poughkeepsie and Daniel and Laura Conniff of Stormville.
Kevin Conniff Wife
Kevin Conniff is married to his wife Melissa Coniff. They are very secretive about their relationship so it is not clear when they tied the knot. He recently spoke of his wife with Calgary Guardian. He said, “I love to eat sweets all the time. They say opposites attract; My wife Melissa is a dietitian and she keeps me balanced.”
Melissa is a dietitian currently working at Calgary Foothills Primary Care Network. She is a director of network services there. Before that, she owned Calgary Family Nutrition which she operated from 2017 to 2022. She is a graduate of University of Alberta, and Ivey Business School at Western University.
Born in October 1978, Melissa reached the age of 45 in 2023.
The couple welcomed their first child in 2008. Now they are parents to two boys.
Kevin Conniff Height
Kevin Conniff’s height measures above 5 feet 10 inches.
Related FAQs
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Where Is Kevin Conniff From?
Kevin Conniff grew up in the hamlet of Hopewell Junction, New York.
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When Is Kevin Conniff Birthday?
Kevin Conniff likely celebrates his birthday in April.
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Is Kevin Conniff On Instagram?
Yes, Kevin Conniff is available on Instagram (@chef_kevin_conniff) and Facebook (@kevin.conniff.5).
