A Bake Off for Good

On December 6, our friends at The Metropolitan Opera held their annual Holiday Bake-Off, raising $1,000 for God’s Love. Spearheaded by The Met’s Education Department, staff members from almost every department participated, throwing themselves wholeheartedly in to the Bake-Off. Anthony Dianna from Props won Best in Show for his blackberry cheesecake while the Audience Favorite Award went to stagehand Mike Albergo for his Italian rainbow cake.

And what made this year’s Bake-Off even sweeter was the extraordinary panel of judges: soprano Anna Netrebko and tenor Piotr Beczała (stars of of The Met’s glamorous new production of Adriana Lecouvreur, which will have a gala premiere at the Met on New Year’s Eve), The Met’s patron chair Camille LaBarre, usher Tshombè Selby, Flora Bar and Café Altro Paradiso pastry chef Natasha Pickowicz, and The Met’s Head of Costumes Elisa Iberti.

When asked why our friends at The Met chose to give their Bake-Off proceeds to God’s Love We Deliver, Dan told us, “Well, we loved Joan Rivers!” We’re thrilled that the legacy of Joan Rivers and her love for God’s Love lives on in this sweet generosity from The Met.

A huge congratulations and thank you to winners Anthony and Mike, and the other winners, below:

Rayneese Primrose, draper – Rose Cupcakes
Mary Jo Heath, voice of Met Opera radio – Oklahoma Pecan Pie
Kiera Bennett, production – Zucchini Bread
John Bischoff, media engineer – Pear Ginger Cobbler
Jill Boyd, head of HR – Vegan Peppermint, Chocolate Cake
Zura Juray, seamstress – Heavenly Marble Bars
Gabby Cryan, costume shop – Baked Alaska with Polar Bear

Thank you to the panel of judges, the participants, the Met’s Education Department, and The Met for their great support!

Brava Tutti!

All photos by Jenny Gorman/Met Opera