The Big Picture

Collider
was exclusively on the set of
Crime Scene Kitchen
Season 3, where we learned all about the new challenges and the new twists, including the friends and family baking dynamic.
During our visit, we learned about the complexity of filming, which involves more than 20 cameras capturing every moment to engage viewers fully.
Alongside judges Curtis Stone and Yolanda Gampp, host Joel McHale brings a fun energy to the show, sharing his genuine warmth and appetite with contestants and crew.

Whether it’s sharing a slice of cake or bonding over recipes, baking has a way of sprinkling magic into our lives. But it’s the genre of baking shows that genuinely turns that charm into shared experiences that pull us in by rooting for contestants who are just like us, learning new tips and tricks while celebrating their every triumph from our couches — complete in our stretchy pants. One such show transforming the ordinary task of blending flour and sugar for an enchanting spectacle of creativity and culinary prowess is Crime Scene Kitchen, returning for its third season on Thursday night. But before the series kicks off its mysterious baking competition, Collider is sharing an exclusive first taste of just how much creativity and collaboration goes into each episode.

Earlier this spring at the CBC offices in downtown Toronto, the deliciously fun Fox production came to life. With a vibrant backdrop and intricate setup, the space was every bit a carefully crafted culinary playground as you can imagine. It’s also unbelievable to learn that the producers and their hard-working crew brought over the same set from their former Los Angeles studio. Taking the crew four weeks to load in and rebuild with more than 20 cameras seizing every angle of the drama across the show’s 10 episodes, the series captures the beauty of baking artistry while challenging its contestants to unravel delicious mysteries hidden within the kitchen.

Naturally, at the helm of this delightful chaos is the ever-charismatic Joel McHale, known on set for his warm demeanour and genuine interest in people — but we’ll get to that in a second. With the series known for building tension and a palpable thrill, Collider learned Crime Scene Kitchen is not just a baking competition. In our extensive set visit, spending half the day with the crew, producers and three leads, including judges Curtis Stone and Yolanda Gampp, the family-centric reality series is all about giving audiences the best baking series that leaves you craving both a sweet treat and a second helping of feel-good TV.

‘Crime Scene Kitchen’ Is a Lot More Complex Than You Realize
The series employs more than 20 cameras in the studio, capturing every minute of action and drama.

Crime Scene Kitchen is shaking things up for Season 3 with a hodgepodge of fun challenges and surprises. Taking a sharp turn away from last season, usually pitting self-trained bakers against classically trained ones, things look a little different this year. As the hour-long series continues to prove it’s more than just about culinary skills or creativity, this season finds itself spotlighting bakers of the friend and family variety. But while Collider didn’t get a chance to interact with the contestants who were hard at work baking their mystery items for Gampp, Stone, and McHale, we did get one of the most interesting tours around the set.

Tucked away on the highest floors of the Toronto Broadcast Center, is one of the classiest sets you’ve seen in the reality TV baking world. Vibrant shades offer a sleek blend of modern kitchen colors with chrome finishes, whites, and pops of black. It is this thoughtful juxtaposition through the studio’s darker tones accented by sleek side and high stage lighting that illuminates its performers from all angles. This setup also offers viewers at home a rather personable experience while immersing them in the mysterious baking world. Combining the polished, professional look of a modern kitchen studio with the mysterious elements of a crime scene, the place holds a fun, whimsy to it. While the kitchen areas where the contestants work are no doubt the heart of the show, it’s the show’s very detailed use of cameras that add to the tension and drama of solving its greatest mysteries.

While speaking to line producer David Harari (Real Country, Battlebots), we learned that there are more than 20 cameras in the studio. But that breakdown extends to some very intricate filming that finds these cameras offering multidimensional coverage to ensure every aspect of the set and the contestants’ action is captured from both artistic and practical angles to engage viewers. With 12 operated cameras, including a TechnoJib and a Fixed-Arm, Crime Scene Kitchen also utilizes seven remote-operated “robo” cameras alongside another seven mounted cameras and a bunch of GoPros hidden throughout the crime scene and the contestants’ kitchens. Making sure no critical action is missed, the control room ahead of the stage looks and feels a lot like you’re in the CIA — not even kidding. As a dark room with multiple TV screens with four-panel outputs spread across a plethora of workstations, it’s like Big Brother watching over everything and we mean everything! Capturing the most candid reactions, the longest of yawns and numerous bloopers, the Crime Scene Kitchen producers are watching every single detail unfold in real time and editing as they go.

While we are in attendance, one thing Collider doesn’t get a chance to see is the “crime scene kitchen” in all its “crime” glory with flour trails and crumbs — a feat that Harari reveals takes 30 minutes to meticulously construct. Instead, the kitchen we are presented with is a very tidy one that has not a speck of culinary offense attached. But there’s a good reason for that. As Harari tells us, it takes two days to finish one whole episode (“one bake per day, two days per episode”). It makes sense, since the bakes take so long and having to do everything in one day would be nearly impossible. But through the magic of television, we can’t tell because it is really that seamless. When it comes to the “hero cakes” that come out of the beloved Confectionator 3000, it’s exciting to hear those are baked on-site by members of the Crime Scene Kitchen culinary team in a “privately located kitchen on the same floor” of the studio.

How Yolanda Gampp & Curtis Stone Level Up ‘Crime Scene Kitchen’
The two stress the tension on-set is a lot more dramatic than what you see on TV.
Image via Fox

Three seasons in, and we already know how Crime Scene Kitchen’s engaging atmosphere is all thanks to its affable dynamic between Gampp, Stone, and McHale. The three are central to the show’s joy with not just audiences, but the entire team behind the Fox production. But as they each bring their expertise to the series, Gampp and Stone tell me exclusively how one of the greatest joys of taking part in the hour-long baking competition is being able to share their expertise with aspiring bakers. “My favorite part of being on the show is I get to share my knowledge with people who are on their baking journey. I don’t have to bake for once, it’s so great!” she laughs. “It’s so great to help other people. All the contestants we’ve had over the years have been lovely and full of questions and just really curious.”

Gampp goes on to share that when Fox first called her about the series, she wasn’t sure how it was all going to work out. “I had never been on a show like this,” she says. “It’s so much fun because it’s not just about how good you are as a baker; you have to get the clues right, you have to make the right mystery dessert for us. It’s trickier than it appears. The contestants here in Season 3, we’ve upped our game. They’ve been saying it’s so much easier to guess at home. They thought it would be easy. They know how to bake; that’s why they’re here, but can they follow the clues?”

Stone interjects, saying even with the contestants getting two minutes to inspect the crime scene, it’s not the same experience viewers have. “When you’re watching it at home, we give you a close-up of all the clues that we laid out. But when you’ve only got those two minutes, and you’ve got to find the clues? You’re walking into a kitchen, and you’re opening drawers and looking in dishwashers, and you forget how hard that panic thing is,” he says. “You get that real adrenaline-pumping panic mode happening, and you’ve got to try and stay calm. That’s quite different when you’re here.”

When it comes to the clues, Gampp adds it’s “crucial” to pay attention because missing one thing can harm what they decide to bake. “That could be the end of you if it’s a really important specific clue,” she says, adding how contestants should always look to the nonedible clues. “I don’t know if you agree [Curtis], but sometimes there’s a receipt or a note — something of that nature usually contains important information.”

“It’s not only seeing it and finding it, it’s also retaining it,” he adds, further stating there is a sincere value in being able to have a calm mind. “All of that information you’ve got to be able to distill down and be like, ‘Alright, well, what does that add up to?’ And of course, we throw in a few little red herrings in there, and some misdirects that get them thinking about other things, as well.” As their differing culinary backgrounds add an extra layer of challenge for contestants, the dynamism between the duo ensures no dessert is too complex for them. While Stone’s “knowledge base is quite different” from Gampp’s, 10 minutes with the pair is evidence of their friendly chemistry and understanding of each other’s complementary impact. “Between the two of us, there’s not a dough or a batter that we haven’t seen or come across before. It’s a good combo,” he says.

Joel McHale Wants Everyone To Know How Much He Eats
Just don’t ask the host to bake anything for you…

As McHale’s lighthearted hosting adds a fun and zesty energy to the series, he wants everyone to know the one thing he’s been contributing all season is his appetite. “I want [everyone] to know how much f—ing food I eat,” he says. “Everyone goes, ‘You don’t eat any of it!’ I eat all of it! I eat everything! I was like, ‘If I’m on camera and there’s food in front of me, it’s weapons-free, I am eating.’ But everyone’s like, ‘You don’t eat any!’ so I wish they had a sidetrack of how much I eat.”

Since Crime Scene Kitchen Season 3 is about even more “desserts,” McHale teases like last season, audiences will also get to see the “savory” twist returning. “We are always going between how hard can the challenges be and how specific can they be, and I think this year we really hit a sweet spot for challenging and really smart folks figuring them out, or total disaster and I’m not even getting close.”

Joking about how the friends versus family dynamic brought a level of “physical” violence to the set, McHale admits the twist on the contestant pool this year was a lot more fun than he imagined. “It’s been interesting to watch it because some of them are like, ‘I’m kind of the lead, they’re kind of my sous chefs’; a couple are equals. We didn’t really know what to expect, but so far they actually get along the same way,” he says. “They’re completing each other’s sentences and stuff like that.”

As a big part of the connections built between the audience and contestants, McHale is certainly one of a kind. Throughout the set visit, one thing was very apparent in every interaction with him: He is quite possibly the nicest person you’ll ever meet (and he gives strong, hearty hugs). Though he’s been turning the tides of public perception with his latest roles, taking on more serious parts in The Bear or Yellowjackets, McHale’s a genuinely warm and engaging presence to be around. In the 30-plus minutes shared with him and one of the Crime Scene Kitchen guest judges (sorry, you’ll have to wait), the Washington native is earnest and attentive to others.

During a conversation with Harari, the line producer shared a memorable story about McHale from the set, which stood out as one of the most heartwarming highlights of the afternoon. From day one, the actor and comedian has made it his mission to learn and remember every crew member’s name. Harari reveals that every time McHale crosses paths with someone, he makes it a point to greet them by name, ensuring he knows exactly who they are. Harari adds that McHale’s kindness on the set of Crime Scene Kitchen not only creates a fun and positive atmosphere but also assembles a strong sense of support for everyone involved.

It’s a trait that even Gampp and Stone love about McHale (even if he tells me he can’t bake to save his life — just give him “10 years and two minutes”). “Joel’s here, so it’s a circus,” Stone laughs, admitting the two embrace his energy and love how he is a “real foodie” too. “He’s constantly figuring out the local delicacies, ordering it for us. Both on and off the screen, he loves stuffing food in his face, which is tons of fun.” Gampp adds how she loves spending time with the host and admits they all have a great time on and off camera: “I think the three of us get along really well, never having met before this show. There’s a lot of laughs that you don’t see and a lot of eating that you don’t see.”

Crime Scene Kitchen Season 3 airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. EST on Fox. The show is available to watch on Hulu in the U.S.

Watch on Hulu