La Salle baker Anna Harmon now a quarterfinalist in Greatest Baker Competition

Anna Harmon, Millstone Bakery head baker, has qualified as a quarterfinalist in The Greatest Baker competition – a contest featuring the best bakers from across the United States.

Harmon took first place in her group.

“I’m so thankful,” she said. “To have so many people rooting for you. People that don’t know you or people that come in or just see you it’s just awesome to have that type of endless support.”

Harmon’s love for baking began when she made chocolate chip cookies with her mother in their kitchen.

“I’ve just always loved it,” she said. “Since I was a kid. Growing up, it was something me and my mom always did.”

Harmon said after high school she planned on obtaining a degree in criminal justice, but realized it wasn’t long term in her plans and returned to baking.

“I’ve always come back to it,” she said.

“[Millstone] really reminded me how much I loved baking and I just wanted to put everything I could into it.

—  Anna Harmon, head baker at Millstone Bakery in La Salle

She graduated from the College of DuPage with a degree in baking and pastry arts and previously worked in Geneva at the Chocolate Kitchen before becoming the head baker at Millstone in downtown La Salle.

“[Millstone] really reminded me how much I loved baking,” she said. “And I just wanted to put everything I could into it.”

Harmon said she enjoys finding new flavor combinations, new techniques and new ways to push her baking skills. Right now, that involves the cinnamon rolls.

“We have a banana cinnamon roll with roasted bananas as the filling,” she said. “We’ve done a peppermint chocolate one. We did an orange cardamom one. That one was my favorite.

“Anything basic with a fun twist on it is my favorite thing in the world.”

Kent Maze, co-owner of Millstone, said they could not be more proud of the national and local success Harmon has been seeing.

“She is an incredible baker,” he said. “The flavor combinations that she does are just spot on. Whether it’s sweet and savory, putting unique flavors together that people might not expect – they recently did a goat cheese with strawberry and hot honey and it worked so well.”

Harmon daughter Lilith Flores, 4, seems to have inherited not only her mother’s love of baking but also her desire to try new flavor combinations.

“We made cupcakes for her birthday together,” she said. “She wanted a strawberry cake with avocados.”

Harmon said they frosted the avocados onto the cupcakes.

Harmon said she enjoys sharing her love of baking with her daughter and their favorite treat to create together is cupcakes because Flores loves the frosting.

“She loves it,” Harmon said. “Every day, she wants to be in the kitchen and make something. So, it’s really fun getting to share that with her too.”

Harmon’s photos portfolio showcases her range of cakes, tarts, cupcakes, pastries and breads, many of which her customers at Millstone will be familiar.

The winner of The Greatest Baker competition receives $10,000 and will be featured in the “Bake From Scratch” magazine, a global artisan food and cooking magazine that celebrates the world of baking. Winners also will meet Buddy Valastro, known as the “Cake Boss,” a pastry chef and TV personality, and can attend an exclusive workshop with the Boss himself.

To vote for Anna, visit https://greatestbaker.com/2023/anna-harmon.

Voting is open to Thursday, Jan. 18. Voters can vote free daily or pay for additional votes. The contest proceeds support the Andrew McDonough Be Positive Foundation to provide financial and emotional support to families of children with cancer nationwide and to fund critical, cutting-edge childhood cancer research.