Event details

The Great Grog Bake Off: Muffins

with Lidia Polatajko, Allie La Valle

Wed, Mar 26 Show: 8:00 pm (Doors: 7:00 pm)

$10.00 Buy Tickets

THE GREAT GROG BAKE OFF: Muffins

Wednesday, March 26
Doors 7 PM | Show 8 PM
$5 ADV / $10 DOS
+ $3 at the door if under 21

Based on The Great British Bake Off, the ultimate baking battle where passionate amateur bakers compete over the course of 10 episodes, the Grog Shop will host a one-night-only competition and delicious bake-tasting event inspired by the classic Channel 4 program.

As an audience member, you'll be sharing in the sweet spoils of the competition by sampling the competing bakes and voting on them live. Your entry fee will go to the winning baker as part of the grand prize pot! Our hosts and judges will entertain you and the contestants with their goofy antics and critiques.

THE CHALLENGE

For their "Signature Bake" contestants will make 24 identical muffins of their choice, showcasing their personality, creative flair, baking abilities and of course, exciting and bold flavors. You have only one chance to impress the judges and take home the crown and our grand prize- the door money! But wait, you'll also have the opportunity to win over the audience, who will also be voting for their favorites. So stack that invite list for your chance to win the Popular Vote!

THE JUDGES

Allie La Valle is the James Beard Award nominated co-owner and baker at Larder Delicatessen and Bakery, the modern Jewish deli she and her husband, Jeremy Umansky, opened 7 years ago. Lidia Polatajko is owner and baker at Rudy's Strudel and Bakery in Parma.

THE PRESENTERS

Tricia McCune is a food-obsessed powerhouse with a serious love affair for local food and supporting small businesses. As the mastermind behind the popular Instagram account @CLEfoodies, she knows where to find the best bites in the city. You might also remember her from Wok n Roll, her legendary food truck that landed her a spot on Guy's Grocery Games on The Food Network.

Bill Squire is a stand-up comedian who has appeared on Comedy Central, Fox, and Hulu. He hosts the popular podcast "Cleveland America" with Tommi LC and OkPants. From 2013 to 2024 Bill co-hosted The Alan Cox Show, an afternoon drive talk show on 100.7 WMMS in Cleveland.

If you're interested in participating in the competition, fill out a baker entry form here: https://forms.gle/AzJJGiGuNZ5WT5Pj9

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Tricia McCune

Cleveland's own Tricia McCune is a food-obsessed powerhouse with a serious love affair for local food and supporting small businesses. As the mastermind behind the popular Instagram account @CLEfoodies, she knows where to find the best bites in the city. You might also remember her from Wok n Roll, her legendary food truck that landed her a spot on Guy's Grocery Games on The Food Network. When she's not curating incredible Cleveland food tours, she's cracking jokes, enjoying life, and let’s be real– probably making pot cookies.

Bill Squire

In 2004, at age 22, Bill Squire was just your regular old excommunicated Mormon Missionary trying to find his way through life. Returning from a two-year-long Mormon mission in the Philippines, Bill found his voice on stage traveling the country telling jokes as he relentlessly pursued stage time. Bill has several Comedy Specials and Albums that have been viewed and listened to millions of times. Bill has been seen on Comedy Central. He was a regular cast member on the cult favorite YouTube series Man in the Box, starring opposite Cleveland Comedy Legend and Red Lobster regular Mike Polk Jr. He has also appeared on TV shows like Laughs on Fox and Hulu.

Family is a priority for Bill, although his time on the road means a lot to him. From 2013 to 2024 Bill co-hosted The Alan Cox Show, an afternoon drive talk show on 100.7 WMMS in Cleveland. He has become a part of a larger family of millions of devoted listeners/viewers on iHeartRadio, SiriusXM, Pandora, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher. He also co-hosts his wildly popular podcast “Cleveland America” with friends Tommi LC and OkPants.

Lidia Polatajko

Lidia Polatajko is owner and baker at Rudy's Strudel and Bakery in Parma. She grew up in the Polish bakery her mother, Eugenia Polatajko, purchased in 1979. Since taking the reins, Lidia has kept family-favorite recipes while upping the store's energy. Her annual Paczki Day festival, held every Fat Tuesday, attracts hundreds of early-morning fans in a line that wraps around the block.

Allie La Valle

Allie La Valle is the co-owner and baker at Larder Delicatessen and Bakery, the modern Jewish deli she and her husband, Jeremy Umansky, opened seven years ago. “My first love was cake decorating,” she says. In culinary school and beyond, that love grew into something bigger. Today, she makes all the breads and desserts at the bustling storefront in Cleveland’s Hingetown neighborhood. In January, she was named a semi-finalist for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker in the James Beard Awards. This is not the first time she has been nominated- in 2023 and 2020 the Larder team were semifinalists for Best Chef: Great Lakes region and in 2019 Larder was considered for Honors in Best New Restaurant.