A mother of three from San Mateo who battled breast cancer before starting a bespoke cake business, Jamie Li is donning her apron to compete on this season’s “Spring Baking Championship” by Food Network, out Monday nights.

The series’ 11th season kicked off March 10 with 13 bakers from around the U.S. competing to win the season title, which comes with a $25,000 prize. And Li’s not the only Northern Californian competing: , who lives in Vallejo, and are also on the season roster. So far, all three are still contenders after the first episode, which featured challenges such as baking a dessert resembling a spring flower and crafting a highly decorated honey pie.

Paul Feybesse, of Tarts de Feybesse fameJulian Perrigo-Jimenez of Folsom

The contestants for Food Network’s Spring Baking Championship, Season 11 are: Mary-Frances Bahun, Paul Feybesse, Lisa Clark, Kari Cota, Corey Jamison, Jamie Li, Jon’nae Smith, Kareem Youngblood, Raveena Oberoi, Lauren Klein, Julian Perrigo-Jimenez, Stacy Flores and Priya Winsor. (Courtesy Rob Pryce/Food Network) 

Li has been baking professionally since 2020, following a 20 year career in sales and beauty marketing and a battle with breast cancer while pregnant with her first child. While battling cancer, she took up cake baking as a hobby.

“It kept my mind off of what was going on,” she says.

After giving birth and undergoing chemotherapy and surgery, she decided to sharpen her skills at the . As buzz grew on the highlighting her creations, people began ordering her cakes for weddings, parties and corporate events. In 2024, she award at the National Pastry Conference.

San Francisco Baking Institute