A contestant on Food Network’s ‘Halloween Baking Championship’ has shared the story of how she came to be in the United States — and it’s left fans tearing up at the thought of it.
Oksana Shchelgachova, 40, was born into a family of bakers in the Ukraine, but now owns Edelweiss Highlands Pastry Boutique in Highlands, North Carolina.
Shchelgachova has made it to the finale of the show, but her journey to get there was one that is sure to touch anyone who hears the details about it.
Shchelgachova Came to the United States to Help Her Son
‘Halloween Baking Championship’ host John Henson said to Shchelgachova, “Tell me about beginning baking here in the United States.”
Shchelgachova replied, “This was… I will cry right now… This was incredibly difficult. I left my country… we came for medical treatment for my special needs son. That’s why I came to United States.”
She continued, “We lost our child last year in October. But America gave us a beautiful 15 years together. I’m so thankful about this. And, for me, baking, this is what saves me, you know, from all circumstances I had in my life.”
Then, in a segment away from the kitchen, Shchelgachova spoke into the camera and said, “I had a beautiful baby boy. His name is Gordii. And now he is our angel. Because of him, we are here. I have been through so many things. But I learn that I am much more strong than I can ever imagine. I am strong. I am like a stone.”
It’s an incredibly sad and touching story, but one that anyone going through tough times should be massively inspired by. When the video of Shchelgachova’s explaining it was posted on the Food Network’s official Instagram page, one viewer wrote, “She really IS much more strong than any of us can imagine. ❤️❤️❤️”
Shchelgachova Is the Daughter of Restaurant Owners
In a 2024 interview with North Carolina’s Our State Magazine, Shchelgachova spoke about her love for her job and what started it.
She was born in the Donetsk region of Ukraine and her parents owned a restaurant there. When she was just five, she began learning basic baking techniques and her parents’ passion for their profession started rubbing off on her.
Shchelhachova told the publication, “I remember the smell of sourdough bread and these big cheese-making machines. And I remember Mama stirring. Papa was like the boss. And I remember this feeling of preparation, even though it was totally different from what I am making now.”
That passion still exists to this day, and she loves every day of working in her pastry boutique. She explained, “In the morning, when I open the door, I inhale the smell — the smell of my kitchen — and I become a different person. I’m a chef! I know exactly what to do and how.”
We wish Oksana Shchelgachova all the very best in the finale of Food Network’s ‘Halloween Baking Championship,’ which airs tonight, Monday, October 27, at 9|8c.
I listened to her tell her story on last week’s episode. I was moved to tears- along with the usually “unphased” John Henson. Wishing her the best❤️