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Leslie Srodek-Johnson, 鈥�01, a 九游娱乐官网 journalism graduate, mother of two and lead decorator and baker at Stan鈥檚 Northfield Bakery, received the call of a lifetime in December 2018. It was from the Food Network asking her to be a part of the 鈥淐hristmas Cookie Challenge.鈥�

鈥淢y Mom answered the phone, and I heard her say 鈥榊eah, it鈥檚 the (bleeping) Food Network,鈥� assuming it was some kind of scam,鈥� said Leslie, laughing. 鈥淚 quickly told her to give me the phone.鈥�

Little did she know she would win the judges over with her cute Santa-beard-on-a-stick cookies and be bringing home the big win and $10,000.

鈥淚 know my grandparents were watching me from Heaven and guiding me through this journey,鈥� Leslie said in a Facebook post. 鈥淭his is AWESOME! I cannot believe how many people that I have met through the years and that have moved all over the country...came together tonight to watch the show about the little blonde girl from the hometown bakery. I am still crying... good tears! Yeah!!!鈥�

Leslie has worked in her family鈥檚 Northeast Ohio bakery since she was in the fifth grade. Leslie said, laughing, she started out 鈥渃leaning, sweeping floors and decorating cookies poorly.鈥� Over 30 year later and Leslie has created thousands of masterpieces from 3-D dinosaur and unicorn birthday cakes to butterfly cookies and so much more.

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鈥淭he business was started in 1961 by my paternal grandfather, Stanley, and his wife Helen,鈥� Leslie explained. 鈥淪tanley was a former Hough Bakery employee. He started baking after World War II and later decided to open his own business. My father, David, started working in the bakery full time in 1968, upon returning from Vietnam. My mom, Kathie, began working here in 1973 鈥� and after a long time working together, my parents 鈥榟it it off.鈥欌€� Leslie still works with her mom every day.

Leslie managed to work at the bakery while attending 九游娱乐官网, often arranging her schedule so she could drive back to work at the bakery. Between the baking and decorating, Leslie spent a lot of time with TV2. 鈥淥ne of my favorite memories is co-hosting TV2鈥檚 鈥淒esperate for a Date,鈥� a dating show that aired from 1999-2001, with Jason Herron, 鈥�00, and Mike Polk, 鈥�01,鈥� Leslie says.

Her hard work is paying off as Leslie is switching roles from host to contestant on a national television network.

鈥淚 was super honored and 100 percent terrified,鈥� Leslie confessed. 鈥淏ecause it鈥檚 a lot of pressure to be on a national stage representing 58 years of your family鈥檚 legacy. I really didn鈥檛 want to let my family down. I was so nervous, I think I lost ten pounds. They offered you all kinds of food, and I couldn鈥檛 eat it. It was nerve-wracking. It was harder than childbirth with no drugs!鈥�

Every episode of the 鈥淐hristmas Cookie Challenge鈥� features five contestants. All five participate in a similar challenge in the first round. Two people get eliminated in round one, the three remaining do another challenge 鈥� and then one winner is selected. The winner receives $10,000.

After the episode of 鈥淏right Lights, Big Cookies鈥� that aired on Monday, December 16, Leslie showed her appreciation to fans for all the congratulatory messages on her win.

Photo courtesy of @nateincle on Instagram.