Following the crumbs: LaGrange native starring on primetime mystery cooking show premiering tonight

Published 5:21 pm Monday, June 5, 2023

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Can you walk into a kitchen and figure out what’s been baked solely by the ingredients and clues left behind? A LaGrange native is being asked to do that on primetime television.

DJ Thomas is a contestant on Fox’s Crime Scene Kitchen, where he and 12 teams of bakers are tasked with figuring out what type of dessert was made using only crumbs that were left behind.

Hosted by actor and comedian Joel McHale, the teams must recreate the recipe for celebrity judges, chef Curtis Stone and cake artist Yolanda Gampp, who will then determine how closely their sweet treat matches the missing dessert.

To advance to the next round and take one step closer to the $100,000 prize, the competing dessert makers will need to prove they have the technical know-how, imagination and problem-solving skills needed to decode and recreate incredible desserts and cakes from across the world.

Thomas, a Callaway High graduate and LaGrange College alum, said his experience on the show was stressful but fun.

“When you bake at home or when you bake in a restaurant, it’s a different thing because you know what you’re doing and how your day is going to plan out. With the game show part of this, it was different for me, but it was really fun — like an adrenaline rush,” Thomas said. “My experience was great and I enjoyed getting to meet Joel and the judges, Yolanda and Curtis. To be able to be able to bake for people like that was fun and a great experience I would never take that back.”

A baker in his own right, Thomas is the executive pastry chef for Local Three, a restaurant in Atlanta. He said his ultimate goal is to one day open his own bakery.

Thomas said he believes he was chosen for the show due to his bright personality and skill set.

“I think that personality had a lot to do with being chosen to do the show,” Thomas said. “I competed on the show with Ricky, my friend, and we have a lot of fun banter between the two of us. So, I think it was that plus the teamwork and the vibe between us that got us cast on the show.”

As season two of the show currently airs, Thomas said he hopes that viewers see his passion for baking on display.

“I started professionally baking during the pandemic and at the time I was in Italy and a lot of my American friends didn’t know what I was doing. So, I feel this will be an opportunity to show what I do and am passionate about,” Thomas said. “I think this will help get out there what I do, what I can do and hopefully to show people my good personality, doing something I love.”

Thomas’ season of the show premieres at 9 p.m. ET on Fox tonight.