By: Caroline Maas, staff writer
(This article was originally written and published for the Spartanburg Herald-Journal)
The New AVI Food Systems Director of Food Services at Wofford College, Stephen Baity, was featured on Food Network’s “Halloween Wars” on Monday Oct, 2.
A former winner of Food Network’s :Cake Wars,” 2016 American Culinary Federation’s (AFC) Akon/Canton chapter “Industry Chef of the Year” and professional fruit and vegetable carver, Baity never intended to end up in the field of culinary arts.
The Ohio-native exhibited creative talent in the kitchen from an early age. Knowing that he enjoyed it as a creative outlet, his high school home economics teacher pushed him to turn his passion into a career. He accredits much of his current success to his beloved high school teacher who he describes as “a short little lady who was full of fire and vinegar.”
Baity recalls, “One day we had this heated argument, and she told that me if I gave her my all she would give me hers. I had never thought about college, no one in my family had ever been. She took me on college visits on her own personal time. She set up my interview with Pennsylvania Culinary and helped me apply for scholarships.”
In 1999, Baity graduated from Pennsylvania Culinary. Shortly following he completed an externship at the 4-STAR, 4-DIAMOND Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids, Mich.. Soon after, he was hired and worked with Master Chef Josef Huber and Chef Chris Madison.
After his father became ill, Baity moved back home to Canton, Ohio, and began working at Hennis Care Center. It was there that he served as Chef Manager, and where his interest in fruit and vegetable carving began to develop.
“We were having an opening night gala at the Hennis Center around Halloween and I was making cocktail meatballs – keep in mind, I was 19 years old and I didn’t know how to do anything. I remember seeing people do cool things with pumpkin carvings and so I went and bought a pumpkin carving kit. I practiced carving on a watermelon and the owner loved it.”
His first attempt at carving was a shot in the dark. However, after Baity realized all of the artistic potential involved in carving fruits and vegetables he was hooked and was determined to improve his newfound skill.
“Halloween came and went and I started looking up fruit and vegetable carving. I came across the art of fruit carving from Thailand. That started the road of carving and sculpting.”
Baity finds it humorous when people assume that he has advanced artistic ability linked to his carving. “I can’t draw, I’ve never taken any advanced art classes or anything. If you’ve seen me draw you know it’s bad,” he says.
Baity frequently enters his showpieces in Olympic-style competitions hosted by the American Culinary Federation (ACF). From these competitions, he has won gold, silver and bronze medals in addition to “Best in Show.”
Food Network’s three-episode “Halloween Wars” was featured on Monday at 10 p.m. Prior to the episode, Baity assured me that it would be like nothing Food Network had ever produced before.
“Typically, there’s only a couple of carvers, a baker and a chocolate or sugar artist. This show will feature three carvers in addition to a chocolate baker and sugar artist. The producers want this thing to be huge,” Baity says.
The self-taught carver accredits his participation in “Halloween Wars” to his competitive nature and desire to constantly improve his trade. “People keep asking me why I’m doing the show because pumpkins aren’t really my thing. But it’s part of the growth and it’s the competitive nature in me. My team and I came up with some pretty cool ideas for the show and I’m really excited for America to see it.”
Before the show, Baity said jokingly, “They gave me free reign and I talked a lot of trash. I think I did more trash talking than carving on the show.”
In terms of staying humble, Baity offers this piece of advice. “If you have to brag about yourself, you’re only as good as you say. If you let other people speak of your works, then you’ve made it. It’s not always about you. God gives us these great talents, so at the end of the day, it’s not really about us.”
For more information on Stephan Baity, visit his website at stephancbaity.com.
