Valerie Bertinelli Says Kids Baking Championship Is ‘in Excellent Hands’ During Reunion with New Host Kardea Brown

Valerie Bertinelli had co-hosted ‘Kids Baking Championship’ with Duff Goldman since the show started in 2015

Valerie Bertinelli, Kardea Brown. Photo: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty; Bob Levey/Getty

Valerie Bertinelli is passing the baton to Kardea Brown.

The Food Network stars had a sweet interaction during the Nov. 4 episode of The Drew Barrymore Show. They discussed Bertinelli’s former gig and Brown’s new role on Kids Baking Championship.

The Indulge cookbook author — who joined as the newest “Drew Crew” member in September — had co-hosted Kids Baking Championship with Duff Goldman since it premiered in 2015. The Delicious Miss Brown host was announced as Bertinelli’s replacement on Oct. 2.

During Monday’s episode, Drew Barrymore introduced Brown as the “new co-host” of the youth-focused competition show. “Val, you were the host of the Kids Baking Championship,” she said.

“And it’s now in excellent hands,” the Hot in Cleveland star interjected.

Later in the segment, Brown walked Bertinelli, Barrymore and Ross Mathews through her catfish taco recipe on air.

Valerie Bertinelli, Kardea Brown, Ross Mathews and Drew Barrymore.The Drew Barrymore Show/Ash Bean

“You know who I learned from?” Brown said while looking at Bertinelli. She replied adamantly, “Oh, stop it you did not.”

“Oh, absolutely! Look we’re not going to talk about how much I’m going to fangirl but I’ll fangirl backstage,” Brown said while Bertinelli grabbed her hand and kissed it.

The celebrity chefs explained that they’ve known each other for “a long time.” Barrymore then asked Brown about how Kids Baking Championship has been so far.

“Oh my gosh it is so fun,” she replied. “It’s a pleasure. It’s a blessing.”

“Val, what was your favorite thing about being on that show?” Barrymore asked. Bertinelli quickly replied: “The kids.” And Brown agreed, explaining how passionate the participants are.

“When I was 10 and 12 I wasn’t worried about baking,” Brown said.

“When I was 12 you don’t want to know what I was doing,” Barrymore quipped in between bites of the fish taco.

Brown shared clips and photos from her appearance on Instagram. In the caption, she said she had “a blast” cooking with “Drew and the Crew.” Plus, Brown explained that she gifted Barrymore and Bertinelli with special bouquets.

“My Mom would always say never show up empty-handed and leave a lasting impression!” Brown wrote about the pink, orange and yellow floral arrangements she shared in the photo collection.

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In January 2024, Bertinelli posted a video on Instagram announcing that she was “not going to be asked back” on Kids Baking Championship.

“It really hurt my feelings. It really sucks,” Bertinelli said multiple times in the clip. She cited budget cuts as the reason she was let go.

Valarie Bertinelli on Kids Baking Championship.Food Network/Youtube

Bertinelli explained that they shot the episodes for season 12 of the show in the summer of 2022. She called that time in her life — the year of her divorce from Tom Vitale — “my apex year of hell.”

“So it really hurts that I won’t be able to go back and see everybody and say, ‘Hey, I made it through,'” she said.

Brown and Goldman’s first full season as co-hosts will premiere in early 2025 and a special holiday season, Kids Baking Championship: Frosting the Snowman, is airing Dec. 2.