From baking birthday cakes to winning one of the world’s most popular TV competitions
For Sydney-based baker Pamela Buchanan, stepping inside the iconic shed of The Great Australian Bake Off was not merely about mastering technical challenges under ticking clocks.
It was also an invitation to showcase a culinary identity shaped across continents, combining classical European pastry techniques with the rich, colourful flavours of her Latin American roots.
To win, was simply a dream.
Pamela was crowned this year’s winner of The Great Australian Bake Off. Instagram/ABC
Her standout run on the show propelled her from a passionate home baker into one of the country’s most exciting pastry artisans. Looking back on the intense filming environment, Buchanan remembers the pressure, as well as thriving in an atmosphere that demanded both endurance and ambition.
“It was fantastic,” Buchanan told nine.com.au. “I love baking, so for me it was really enjoyable. I had the time of my life.
Winning this year’s competition was a dream come true. Instagram/@bakeandsway
“It can be stressful because you’re living separate from your family, and you’re constantly being asked to produce amazing bakes and to challenge yourself. But that’s something that I really love. The environment for me was absolutely right for my personality.”
The production went above and beyond to support the contestants’ artistic visions, sourcing specialty pantry items and equipment so they could execute even their most intricate concepts.
“They accommodate for special ingredients and materials that we want to use in order to produce the bakes that we’re aiming to produce,” she said.
“We were asked, for example, to learn how to make filo pastry from scratch,” she says. “That was something that I had never done before. It’s extremely challenging, but I’m really proud of myself that I learned how to do that on the show.”
What sets Buchanan apart in Australia's competitive baking scene is her unique point of difference: a vibrant flavour wheel inherited from her multicultural upbringing. Born in Venezuela to an Italian family, she blends European structure with bold, sun-drenched ingredients that sing on the palate.
“I use mostly traditional, classic flavours, but I lean towards my heritage,” she said. “I’m half Italian, but born in Venezuela, so I grew up in a family where we ate a little bit of everything, so a lot of international food and a lot of Italian.
‘I use mostly traditional, classic flavours, but I lean towards my heritage.’ Instagram/@bakeandsway
“And us South Americans, we cook with a lot of flavour. I tend to go towards things that I know will work together.”
Beyond her flavour instinct, Buchanan was celebrated for her architectural precision and structural craftsmanship. Achieving multi-tiered, statuesque showstoppers did not happen overnight; it took five years of dedicated practice, trial, and learning from the inevitable kitchen mishaps.
“It’s been a hobby that I’ve been doing for a couple of years now, at least five years,” she shared.
“Of course, in the beginning, I had failures and I had cakes collapsing. But, like everything in life, the more you practice, the better you get at it,” she said.
“Now I am very confident because I know the techniques, and I’ve watched lots of videos and tutorials on how to successfully stack a five-tier cake. Not everyone who bakes at home knows these things, but once you become passionate about something, you just learn about it.”
‘Once you become passionate about something, you just learn about it.’ Instagram/ABC
Buchanan was also noticed for her ability to work with tempered chocolate and intricate hand-piping.
“The kitchen for me is the place where I can express myself creatively,” she said. “I love to play with different mediums: chocolate, buttercream, fondant. You can create amazing stuff with what’s available out there.
“The show gave me the opportunity to actually push myself further than what I would normally do for my family or my friends, and I absolutely loved that.”
Her flavour fusions and love of artistic expression through food will also be on full display on her family Christmas table this year.
“I come from South America, so there is a very special Christmas Eve dinner at my place, because that’s the evening we celebrate back home on the 24th,” she said.
“We have a very particular South American dinner. I make this bread that looks a bit like a cinnamon roll, but it’s actually filled with ham, bacon, olives, and raisins. It’s absolutely delicious and serves as a side dish.
“Then for dessert, I lean towards Australia. My husband and my kids love a pavlova and want something fresh, but I’ll add a tropical twist like mango or passionfruit. I use a combination of my heritage again.”
Food lovers will soon be able to experience Buchanan’s artistry in person as she joins the lineup for the Good Food & Wine Show Christmas Editions, appearing in Sydney from November 20 to 22 and Melbourne from December 4 to 6.
Pamela has joined the lineup for the Good Food & Wine Show Christmas Editions 2026. Instagram/@bakeandsway
This year the even will feature a world-first immersive Bake Off experience, alongside crowd favourites such as The Festive Kitchen, the Cooking School, and the hands-on Little Bakers Corner for kids.
For Buchanan, taking the festival stage is an opportunity to share her signature creative flair directly with home cooks.
The show runs in Sydney from November 20 to 22 and Melbourne from December 4 to 6. Instagram/@bakeandsway
“You are going to see pretty much me,” she said. “On the main stage, I’m going to be cooking a tropical Christmas wreath dessert, which is my take on a fancy pavlova with a South American touch, using a summer mango jelly from back home.
“Then in the cooking school, I’m going to be decorating Christmas-themed cupcakes, which was something I really enjoyed doing on Bake Off.”
