Rob Pryce
Megan process, as seen on Holiday Baking Championship, Season 7.
Legacy Cakes owner Megan Rountree found herself in the spotlight last year while participating in Food Network’s “Holiday Baking Championship.” The classically trained baker, who was competing while seven months pregnant, took home several challenge Ws thanks to her technique, finesse and creativity. While she did not win the series’ grand prize, she’s happy she made it to the finale, got her local bakery some exposure and showed her children they should go after their dreams.
I DECIDED AT A REALLY YOUNG AGE… that I was going to do the whole baking thing. I just had a passion for food ever since I was young. It allowed me to be creative. I went to Baylor to study entrepreneurship because I wanted to have my own bakery. I then went to culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu in Austin, which gave me the background and knowledge I needed. That training teaches you the science behind it all, and it really helped tell me where I needed to go.
I ACTUALLY WAS… the head pastry chef for Baylor University’s catering department, and then my husband and I got married and moved to East Texas. His family was out there, and they own a business out there, so we went there for his job.
I ENDED UP GOING ON… TLC’s ‘Next Great Baker.’ I was very young at the time; it was 10 years ago. It was a great experience. It was a lot of fun, and I got to meet a lot of great competitors. It opened me up to that world, and it opened up a lot of doors. And it taught me a lot about what I did not know. When that was done, we decided it was time to open our own bakery in North Texas. I wanted to have a custom cake shop that specializes in over-the-top, crazy cakes that just were a staple at any celebration.
MY NEXT TIME ON A COOKING SHOW… was ‘Winner Cake All’ for Food Network. Food Network contacted me and asked if I would be interested in participating. But that was different because it was with a partner, so I did it with my friend, Rachelle. We just had a ball. It was so much more fun doing it with a friend, and we ended up winning.
FOOD NETWORK CONTACTED ME… again about ‘Holiday Baking Championship’ and asked me if I would be interested. I said sure, but I have to get the OK from my doctor. It was a great opportunity that I really didn’t want to miss out on. I wanted to grab the bull by the horns. In my head, I was thinking, do not screw this up. I had major pregnancy brain at the time. I wanted to go ahead and do it before I had a newborn to leave.
MY EXPERIENCE WAS DIFFERENT… than my previous times [competing on cooking shows] because it wasn’t as cake-centered. I had to dig deep and go back to my culinary training. But the set was just awesome. It was exactly what I want my house to look like around the holidays. They just made it so nice.
THE ONE CHALLENGE… that was particularly challenging was the one where I had to make the boozy icebox cake in two hours — because alcohol doesn’t freeze anyway. The one I enjoyed the most was the winter hat cake challenge. It was the most in my wheelhouse, so I felt the most comfortable.
I THINK WHAT WAS THE MOST FASCINATING… to me about the show was it filmed during the summer. While you see fake snow on the ground, we were in the middle of a heat wave.
WHEN I WATCHED THE FINALE… with my daughter, she cried, so that was fun. She’s extremely competitive. She was totally disappointed [I didn’t come in first], but it’s fine. You have to learn that you can’t always win.
IT WAS GREAT… exposure for the shop, especially with COVID affecting us around here. I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity. We have obviously been hit by it, and I am so thankful for the community that we live in.