NORTHFIELD, Ohio – A third-generation owner of a family bakery in northern Summit County was crowned the champion of a recent episode of the Food Network’s “Christmas Cookie Challenge.”

Leslie Srodek-Johnson, of Stan’s Northfield Bakery, told cleveland.com Tuesday that competing on the show, and the positive feedback she’s received from customers since the episode aired Monday night, have been a dream come true.

“This was an experience of a lifetime that was harder than childbirth, but it really paid off in the end,” Srodek-Johnson said. “I’m really excited that I could represent Northeast Ohio on a national stage, and bring some attention to all my family’s hard work over the years.”

Srodek-Johnson’s grandparents, Stanley and Helen Srodek, started the bakery on Olde 8 Road in 1961. Her father, Dave Srodek, took over the bakery in 1969, and Srodek-Johnson and her sister were practically raised in the bakery.

“We’ve been in here since we were four days old,” Srodek-Johnson said.

Srodek-Johnson, 40, had a hard time keeping the secret of her appearance on “Christmas Cookie Challenge.” She flew out to Los Angeles to tape the episode in February, and couldn’t publicly acknowledge her episode until Halloween.

“I couldn’t take any orders during certain time periods because I wasn’t sure when they were going to fly me out, so it was really interesting trying to budget a running work schedule with Hollywood,” she said.

The show was filmed in the same building that was the set of the television show “The Office.”

“Everybody was really excited that we were in the actual Dunder Mifflin,” Srodek-Johnson said. “But when you would round the corner, it was a Christmas explosion.”

Srodek-Johnson, who was raised in Macedonia and lives in Sagamore Hills, commended all her fellow competitors for their talent.

“Being on the Food Network, in that kind of atmosphere, I don’t think anybody produces the absolute best thing they ever could,” she said. “I know a lot of people are disappointed with their final pieces on the show, but really, they’re all very talented people, and they all tried their hardest.”

Srodek-Johnson’s episode, “Bright Lights, Big Cookies,” is the third episode of the third season of “Christmas Cookie Challenge.” It is set to rerun at 5 p.m. Sunday, and is also available on-demand on streaming services including Food Network’s website, Hulu Live and Sling.

Stan’s Northfield Bakery will be open 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 5 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, closed on Sunday, and open 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Dec. 23 and 24.

“We will be closed from Christmas to Jan. 5, opening back up on Jan. 6, because we really want to give our staff time to recuperate after this," Srodek-Johnson said at the bustling bakery. “I was the one who decided to be on the Food Network - not them - and they are all busting their butts right now, and I’m so proud of them.”

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