This Arizona pastry chef is competing on Food Network. Here's how to watch

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Manja Blackwood, executive sous chef at University of Arizona is competing on Season 9 of Food Network's "Spring Baking Championship."

Born in Germany, Blackwood fell in love with baking through her grandmother who "always kept the family together through food," she said. Blackwood went to culinary school at age 16 in Germany and pursued baking.

"I've been in the food business for 30 years," she said, adding that her grandmother's German apple cake is still her favorite treat to make.

She plans to bring her training and personal history to the stage during the "Spring Baking Championship."

"I wanted to prove myself, make my daughter and family proud and go up against the young chefs," Blackwood said.

How bakers compete on Food Network 'Spring Baking Championship'

In Season 9, host Jesse Palmer puts 12 bakers through 10 main challenges. In each episode the bakers have to make edible creations that represent spring, like flowers, garden parties and weddings.

The episodes comprise of two sections, preheat, in which no one is eliminated but the best baker earns an advantage, and the main heat, during which the best baker uses the advantage — extra time or baking implements — and the judges eliminate the baker with the lowest score.

Nancy Fuller, Duff Goldman and Kardea Brown are judges this season.

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How to watch 'Spring Baking Championship' on Food Network

The show airs on Monday, March 6 at 6 p.m. on Food Network. Find all the episodes at foodnetwork.com/shows/spring-baking-championship.

If you don't have cable, you can catch Blackwood's episode of "Spring Baking Championship" on streaming services, including discovery+, Hulu+ Live TV, DirecTV Stream and Philo.

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Reach the reporter at BAnooshahr@azcentral.com. Follow @banooshahr on Twitter.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: How to watch Arizona chef Manja Blackwood compete on Food Network