He runs a business, loves to participate in competitions but he’s still in school, in fact he’s in the eighth grade.
Nash Roe, 13, is a grandson of Shelli Asberry, of Exira, the son of Estee and Ryan Roe of Clive and brother to London Roe.
On Monday, Dec. 26 he will be on the premiere episode of season 11 of the Kids Baking Championship, on the Food Network, at 7 p.m.
He got an early start cooking. As a very young child he got to help his grandmother bake, and later helped one of her friends who owned a bakery complete a large order. It was something he really enjoyed and he started thinking it was something he’d like to do.
His business really got its start when he was only 11 and on Mother’s Day 2020, his sister got a concussion, and Nash made sweets for them.
He had been wondering what it would be like to make some extra money over the summer — not mowing lawns, like many kids, but by baking.
“I didn’t know much about social media,” he admitted, but when his mother posted the menu of what he could make, things really got rolling and his business, “Nash’s Confections” got it’s start.
“It really took off,” he said, adding that people were calling and wanting him to bake for them.
“And then here we are, it just started and it kept going.”
Nash even offers lessons for those who’d like to learn more about baking and cooking.
The classes aren’t just for kids his age or younger, “I’ve done classes with adults and kids,” he said.
His favorite item is his trademarked cinnamon roll — or Cinna-Roe. It’s his best selling item and an order includes six cinnamon rolls in a pan.
He likes to compete. In 2022 he competed in the Iowa State Fair “Elevated Desserts Championship,” with his pecan pie cheesecake. “I won Best in Show, Best in Class and Best Overall First place,” he said.
On an average week he said he spends about 15-20 hours in the kitchen, and gets ideas from visiting bakeries and trying to recreate the items he tries there.
While he’s got a business, he’s still an eighth grade, and he’s not completely sure what he will do when he gets out of school. He said he thinks he’d like to go into cooking, but he’s not sure yet which college he’ll want to go to after high school, he’s got some time to think about it.
Right now he said he liked science, band, English, and his leadership class, but isn’t fond of math.
The Kids Baking Championship is a series of shows — the first episode will be Monday, Dec. 26 at 7 p.m. central time on the Food Network. As the show progresses, if a competitor is eliminated, they are off the show, and the idea is to make it to the final episode, to be named the Kids Baking Champion.
He enjoys the challenge, “I’m pretty competitive,” he said, but added his fellow competitors on the show had become pretty good friends.
“On the show, we’re all really really good friends,” he said, but added, “Obviously in a competition where you can win $25,000 (there still is competition).”
