Greenvale Gets a Taste of Reality

The Glen Cove area got a little taste of reality on Monday, when reality show contestant Corina Elgart visited Bar Frites in Greenvale's  Wheatly Plaza to celebrate the premiere of TLC's latest show Cake Boss: Next Great Baker.

Elgar, who grew up in Old Brookville, was one of ten contestants competing on the reality show to win a grand prize of $50,000 and a chance to work with one of the biggest names in cake decorating: Cake Boss' Buddy Valastro.

"It was the most bizarre and surreal experience of my life," Elgart said. "I can't believe it happened to me. I went from being a full time stay at home mom to a full time business owner to a person on TV within a matter of months." 

In the midst of opening her cake shop Taste in Syosset, raising a five and three-year-old, and a year into her studies at The Culinary Academy of Long Island, Elgart decided to apply for the show after hearing about it from a friend on Facebook.

"What the heck," she said. "Why not add one more thing to my plate?" 

Elgart said that she doubted she would even be considered: "Thousands of people will be applying, it's not like it's ever going to happen," she said she had remembered thinking.

To her surprise the show representatives called her back a few days later.

"They said send us a video, and I was like, I have nothing to show you; I don't even have a shop yet," Elgart said. "They said, just make the video."  

The very next day, a few days before her shop was about to have its grand opening, she received a call saying she made it to the top ten.

Elgart said that they told her to be in Jersey by Monday: "and this was on Wednesday," she said.

Filming began in the month of September, which according to Elgart, was one of the most emotionally, physically and mentally difficult times of her life. She was not allowed to see her family for three weeks straight while filming.

"I really had to stay focused," she said. "I couldn't see them, but it was important that I set a good example for my kids. You have to work for what you want. It takes hard work, dedication and devotion but you will get it."

When asked what her favorite cake was, she joked, "that is like asking me to choose which of my kids are my favorite."

Elgart said that her specialty cake is her yellow cake, which she perfected while pregnant with her daughter.

Those attending the Monday premiere got a taste of Elgart's cake, as she brought enough samples of her chocolate, yellow and red velvet cake to to feed 150 people.

As far as the Next Great Baker, Elgart said "you'll just have to watch and find out."

Next Great Baker airs Mondays at 9 p.m. on TLC.