A Utah woman is part of "The Greatest Baker" competition being done by Bake From Scratch magazine. The winner receives $10,000!
Montana Cartwell says she's always dreamed of opening her own bakery in Utah and when she entered the contest, that was her plan.
But, now Montana says, "But after really thinking about it, I would probably only put some of it towards that, and the rest I would donate to childhood cancer research."
Montana says many people in her life have been dealing with cancer, including her little cousin who was diagnosed with Hepatoblastoma Cancer of the liver at 10 months old.
"Watching his strength during the 12 rounds of chemo, and the four major surgeries, two of which, being liver transplants that he endured, has truly been inspiring. Today, he is cancer free, and living a life that any healthy, normal 8 year old should. I am eternally grateful that he is happy and healthy", Montana says.
"The Greatest Baker" competition is perfect for her because it works in conjunction with the Andrew McDonogh B+ Foundation, which benefits childhood cancer.
Montana knows from personal experience how scary a health issue can be. In 2012, she had a tumor removed.
That's really when her love of baking grew, she spent hours in the kitchen and watching baking shows as she recovered.
After graduating high school in 2017, she moved to North Carolina and studied at Johnson and Wales University with a major in Baking and Pastry Arts.
In 2019, she had the opportunity to study abroad in France, and receive a degree in Baking and Pastry Arts fromn Ecole Nationale Superior de Patisserie (the highest-ranked pastry school in France.
After studying abroad, Montana came back to Johnson and Wales and graduated with her second degree.
She's currently managing a local bakery in Utah.
Montana has made it into the quarter finals, and the next round of voting starts on Monday, January 8, 2024. Click here to place your vote.
