The Truth About Jürgen Krauss From The Great British Baking Show: Season 12
On November 23, during a "heated" set of baking challenges in the Season 12 finale of "The Great British Baking Show" (aka "The Great British Bake Off" in the U.K.), contestant Giuseppe Dell'Anno emerged triumphant. Not only did the baker beat out the original field of 12 talented amateurs, but he also bested his semi-finalist contemporaries, Chigs and Crystelle. As fans followed the final episode's nail-biting moments, many couldn't help but entertain a sentimental thought or two. Namely, how it all might have been different if competitor Jürgen Krauss had not been eliminated — to the shock of many — at the end of the penultimate episode a week prior.
The 56-year-old, German-born resident of Sussex, U.K., who is known for his bread-baking talents (via Radio Times), had endeared himself to viewers over the course of Season 12. Having been named "Star Baker" of the week on three separate occasions during his run, Krauss had been considered by many to be the favorite for winning the whole competition, according to Extra Ireland. When he was voted off "The Great British Bake Off," some of his fans were so outraged that they accused the competition of being "fixed" (via The Sun). But the truth is that he was actually "relieved" that he didn't have to compete in the final round, shared Metro News. Here are some other pearls we learned about this German baker that stole the hearts of many.
A humble fan-favorite baker
As a result of the television and streaming exposure Jürgen Krauss received over the course of the nine "Great British Bake Off" episodes he appeared in during the show's 12th season, he has now become known around the globe for his sweet demeanor and bread-making skills — especially for his Jewish challah bread and celebratory cakes, according to "The Great British Bake-Off" website. Born in the Black Forest region of Germany, Krauss first made a home in the U.K. in 2003 with his wife and their son. Express reports that the baker grew up in a "low-income household" and didn't typically have many toys to play with. As a result, he had to make up games with his siblings and this perspective helped shape his approach to cooking. When Krauss whipped up a cookie windmill as a showstopper in episode two, he drew on this childhood experience, saying, "My grandpa made some windmills, so we had a mini Dutch windmill on a pole in the garden."
After moving to England, Krauss had difficulty finding traditional breads from Germany. He decided to take action and began baking his own, later experimenting with other baked goods. Over the course of "The Great British Bake-Off," Krauss tackled and greatly expanded his breadth of cooking knowledge, and viewers ranked him as one of the contestants most likely to win the competition, per Decider. Even though he didn't make it to the final, this baker received a ton of love from audiences everywhere and stole the show through his kind personality.
Jürgen Krauss has many talents outside the kitchen
While most audiences know Jürgen Krauss as a baker, the "Bake Off" contestant has a slew of other hidden talents. According to Express, Krauss used to work as a physicist and brought his love of technical precision to the art of baking. He has since changed careers, now working at ProspectUs as a database administrator. Krauss has held this position for 18 years and loves testing out some of his latest baking creations on his co-workers. In addition to his scientific background, Krauss loves music and actively performs on the trombone. In an Instagram post, the baker played the "The Great British Bake-Off" intro music on the trombone, while later posting photos from a church show he performed at with a period ensemble and choir, per Instagram.
His experience on the popular baking show may have given him pause to look towards a new future, as he wrote in a heartfelt exit letter to fans, per Twitter: "Who wants to fly to the moon if you can be on 'Bake Off?' It was such a fantastic ride! ... Preparing all the recipes gave me confidence to experiment with flavors in sweet baking, to an extent I've never done before. A huge thank you to all of you for all the kindness and warmth in your response and support." Only time can tell what the future has in store for Krauss. With any luck, you haven't seen the last of this charismatic baker.