Rebecca Farias began as 1 of 50,000 competitors

Rebecca Farias is a mom, recent DMC paralegal graduate, business owner and, now, quarterfinalist in the Greatest Baker competition.

The national online baking contest awards the winner a grand prize of a feature in “Bake from Scratch” magazine, $10,000 and a meeting with Buddy Valastro from the TV show “Cake Boss.”

“I had seen it on a couple different bakers’ posts that I was following on Instagram, ” Farias said as she brought up how she first heard of the competition.

“You had to apply, so I submitted some pictures, applied, got in, and from there it was just making it through the rounds,” she said.

Farias watched, along with the rest of the nation, as her place in the competition evolved from one of 50,000 to eventually the top 1% of bakers in the quarterfinals.

It was all made possible through voting and the support of her community, as she put it.

“I didn’t realize how many people liked my baked stuff until they were telling me, ‘Yes I vote every day,’ or ‘I’ve been setting an alarm and voting!’ It’s just so exciting!” Farias said. “It’s really shown me what kind of community we have around Corpus.”

As her spot in the contest rises, and with it her chances of winning the whole thing, Farias reveals her plan of opening up a food truck in Cole Park with the prize money.

“I feel like Cole Park’s kind of the heart of our city; a lot of people come down here and walk,” Farias said.

“This is also where I first started to fall in love with Corpus,” she said, revealing her connection with the area runs on a more personal level as well.

“The first time I came down here was on vacation with my mom during the 4th of July and when we went to Cole Park, I just remember looking out and thinking this was the most beautiful place. It just brings people together,” Farias said.

The feedback she was hearing from other residents of the Corpus Christi community just reaffirmed her Cole Park food truck decision.

“People are always telling me it would be amazing to have a food truck down here, especially a bakery coffee one, because then you can stop, get your coffee and go walk the pier,” Farias said.

“I was kind of like that’s exactly what I had in mind, so I know that it’s something people would like,” she said.

Although winning the competition and being able to open her own food truck would be amazing, the greater purpose of Farias’ food truck would serve as a helping hand for her community.

Farias unveils this as she mentions the practical use a local charity called Free Store would get out of it.

“Free Store is literally what it sounds like. It’s a free store posted up at South Bluff Park, and they just provide anything anyone would need,” she said.

Free Store holds picnics two times a month, and serves anywhere from 100-150 people in need with supplies ranging from food to clothes, pet food and more.

“What I think is really cool about them is they always try to send people home with a hot meal,” she said.

“But it’s kind of hard because South Bluff Park doesn’t have any electricity, so you’re not able to just plug stuff in and have it heating there for people.”

This is where her food truck could be utilized, she said.

“The thing about a food truck is that it automatically gives you electricity, so then they can plug things in, and have the food on heating units.”

Overall, Farias has seen the competition in itself as an incredible experience, one that’s certainly impacted her in more ways than she could have possibly imagined.

“When I tell people I’m happy to be here, I literally mean it, I’m just happy to be here. I know it would be super cool to push on to the semi-finals and win the whole thing but it’s incredibly cool to think that I was even in it and that I even made it this far,” she said.

Voting for the Greatest Baker quarterfinals round closed Jan. 18.

To vote for Farias if she makes it to the semi-finals, visit Greatestbaker.com

Voters can either choose to vote once per day or to charity vote with a value ranging from $10-$250. All charity votes will be awarded to the Be Positive Foundation.