CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Charleston pastry chef Kyle Caulkins, owner of Baked By Kyle C, is taking his talents from the Lowcountry to national television.

Caulkins will be one of 10 bakers competing on the upcoming season of Food Network’s Halloween Baking Championship, where contestants will battle through a series of spooky dessert challenges for a chance to win the championship title and a $25,000 grand prize.

During an appearance on News 2 Now, Caulkins discussed the experience of stepping into one of television’s most popular baking competitions, representing Charleston on a national stage and putting his creativity to the test in front of some of the industry’s most recognizable judges.

Host John Henson, Contestants Ciarra Roberts, Caleb King, Katie Shegda, Kyle Caulkins, Lisa Pak, Justin Giordano, Baindu Squire, Kyle Olsen, Marian Mulero, and Elizabeth Suwanski, portrait, as seen on Halloween Baking Championship, Season 12.

Host John Henson, Contestants Ciarra Roberts, Caleb King, Katie Shegda, Kyle Caulkins, Lisa Pak, Justin Giordano, Baindu Squire, Kyle Olsen, Marian Mulero, and Elizabeth Suwanski, portrait, as seen on Halloween Baking Championship, Season 12.

The new season premieres Monday, Sept. 14, at 9 p.m. and unfolds inside the fictional “Museum of Unnatural History,” a creepy setting packed with eerie exhibits designed to inspire the bakers’ creations.

Host John Henson guides contestants through the competition, while judges Stephanie Boswell, Aarti Sequeira, and Zac Young decide which desserts are worthy of surviving another round.

A familiar face to local dessert lovers, Caulkins offers pop-up baking classes around the Charleston area and has spent time teaching aspiring bakers while growing his business.

His passion for baking began at an early age and eventually turned into a full-time career centered on custom cakes, specialty desserts, and community events.

This is not Caulkins’ first experience in front of a television audience. Last year, he competed on Holiday Bakeshop, which aired on Canada’s Flavour Network, giving him his first taste of baking competition television.

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Dining and Cooking