Tis the season for spooky baking shows, and Food Network delivers with a variety of programming this fall, including season four of “Halloween Wars,” which premieres at 9 p.m. on Sept. 22.
And the hype is real — according to the network, more than 28 million viewers watched its Halloween programming last year, making it a top five non-news/sports cable network during September and October.
The hype hits home this year with local pastry chef Sarah Arnold among the participants in “Halloween Wars.” Arnold became the assistant pastry chef at The Sanctuary at Kiawah this spring, but she started baking well before then.
“I have been baking my whole life, starting with making cookies around the holidays with my mom, to eventually going to a vocational high school and realizing my passion for baking as a career through the culinary arts program there,” she said.
Arnold, who has her bachelor’s degree in Baking & Pastry Arts from Johnson & Wales, is no stranger to baking competitions: She won the silver medal at the Commercial Baking SkillsUSA competition in 2018 and has even participated in a previous Food Network show, season four of “Holiday Wars.”
A second shot
Arnold said that a casting associate from the Food Network reached out to her about participating in “Holiday Wars” in 2021 after seeing her creative concoctions on Instagram. And while her team was sent home early during “Holiday Wars,” her performance stuck with another casting associate who contacted her in 2023 to participate in this year’s “Halloween Wars.”
“My favorite part about participating in a competition like this is the connections I make with the other contestants,” she said. “It’s not often that you find yourself surrounded by like-minded individuals who share your passion.”
Arnold said that she likes to see how far she can push herself creatively — and a different climate helps with that. “Working with sugar isn’t something that I get to do very often (especially in the SC humidity), so being on a show like this to showcase my sugar skills is such a great opportunity,” she said.
Viewers can look forward to eight teams of sugar artists creating monster themed displays on this season’s “Halloween Wars.”
Participating in the show helped Arnold see Halloween treats in a whole new light. “My favorite holiday to bake for used to always be Christmas, but after being on ‘Halloween Wars,’ I have gained a deeper appreciation for all things spooky,” she said. “I love making treats that look like eyeballs or brains … the silly side of Halloween baking is what brings out my inner child.”
Follow Arnold on Instagram @baking_with_sarah.
Help keep the City Paper free.
No paywalls.
No subscription cost.
Free delivery at 800 locations.
Help support independent journalism by donating today.