‘Sweet Deceit’ Host Josh Peck on Stepping Into Spooky Locales for Baking Game Show

Things are or aren’t quite what they seem on Food Network’s Sweet Deceit Trick or Treat. The new baking game show hosted by actor Josh Peck challenges teams of three in a game of trick-or-treat. Easy team ventures through Halloween-themed locations to decide if certain objects are hyper-realistic sweets or not. Correct guesses across multiple rounds get them a bigger bite of the $12,000 on the line. Their job won’t be easy as these edible illusions hide in plain sight, and oh by the way, are created by some of the most accomplished cake artists in the game. 

The October 5 back-to-back premiere of episodes featured Jonny ‘Jonny Cakes’ Manganello in an escape room and Andrew Fuller set to the backdrop of a haunted manor. Other installments will include names like Jose Barajas, Ashley Holt, April Julian and Liz Marek. Following the spooky season, the candy corn turns into candy canes for Sweet Deceit: Holiday starting November 16 with wintery locales that put you in the spirit like a cozy cabin, ice rink, and Santa’s workshop. 

For Peck, who hosted Best Bite Wins for The Roku Channel, the project is a chance to dig into a fun concept that brings people together. Here the Drake & Josh star speaks about his experience on set. Plus, the 39-year-old opens up about family life and career.  

Food Network

How did you become connected to the show? I know you have a big social media reach with food related content. I’m sure that helped. 

Josh Peck: Well, originally, you’re right. I just assumed it was because I do a lot of food content, but then Brian [Lando], our producer, said, “Well, it’s because there’s an inherent deception to your food content. So that’s how we knew you’d be perfect for a show like Sweet Deceit.” And I was like, “Now I get it.” I think the fact with a lot of my food content that you think one thing’s going to happen, and then something surprises you, it was sort of the perfect energy for a show with hyper-realistic pastries used to trick the people who are playing the game.

The timing for the show also fits with the trend on social media, the whole is it cake sort of thing. This really levels that up by putting these cakes in spaces with other objects. 

It’s amazing, I think you’re right. With these 30-minute episodes, the best part of these kinds of shows is trying to figure it out, getting to play at home. I’ve already watched the first episode with my kids, and I already knew the correct answers, but we were all sort of wrestling over what looked more realistic and what we could rule out. It definitely is crazy how in person I was sometimes less than a foot or two away from the items, and I still couldn’t tell.

The first two episodes were in an escape room and a haunted manor. How would you say these set the tone for what we’re going to see for the rest of the season?

The first episode was the first episode we filmed and the second was the final episode. It’s cool because you really get to see the progression of where we started, and then after, we really got into the swing of things, and how it progressed. There are two incredible venues. The first one was an escape room, which I find very frustrating in general. I tend to question my intelligence. It was with these escape room experts, so we really got to put them to the test. And then the second one was the famous haunted house called the Octagon House in East LA. The fun fact about that was we shot it at the end of July, and it was this old haunted house, so it was pretty hot in there. We were getting nervous at one point that maybe the cakes were going to melt.

Oh, wow, I didn’t even think of that being a problem to consider. You also got to film inside The Magic Castle, another legendary venue. How was it filming there?

I love The Magic Castle, and I’ve only been refused there at the door once because I did not meet the dress code. But other than that, I’m a big magic fan. There are really fun rooms like a close-up room and giant illusions room. You can then go have dinner and drinks and hang out in the piano lounge where a ghost is playing. It’s just a singular place. There’s nowhere else like it. We have a haunted morgue. We have the house from American Horror Story, and we were able to film there. Everything Halloween-wise, we checked the box. 

Did anything happen while you were in the haunted places? 

There were some extremely creepy vibes. We’ve had contestants who were paranormal experts, or ones who could feel spirits. I don’t know if they were just sort of pulling our leg, but they definitely said they could feel things. 

You mentioned filming in the house from American Horror Story. What was your takeaway from that experience? 

The creepiest part about the American Horror Story house was my little dressing room was actually one of the bedrooms in the house, so there were just moments where I didn’t even have the crew there to protect me. It was just me alone in one of the rooms. After a while, I just kind of got freaked out and hung out with the crew downstairs.

How was it getting to know the cake artists themselves? They’re also in a competition with themselves to kind of show their skill, but also that they can fool these people.

We have some of the most talented and skilled bakers in the world from Jose Barajas to Jonny Cakes, Ashley Holt, Andrew Fuller, so it really runs the gamut of the people who are experts in this field. It was so cool. To be in awe of them and to be exposed to this specific thing that I would normally never get to be. What I respect the most about it is that it’s ephemeral, right? They put all this work into these things that will only live for one day, for one moment, and yet, for them, it’s worthwhile. So I really respected that.

How do you compare going from the creepy to the fun and cheerful festive feel? 

We actually did an office Christmas party that was one of my favorites because who hasn’t had those wonderfully awkward holiday office parties? It’s the best time of year. Some of my favorite holidays, especially with kids now,. I always say the two greatest days as a parent of young kids are Halloween night and Christmas Eve. It’s an easy watch with your family, and you’re going to enjoy those key holiday moments, which is the best part.

Do you have any fun family traditions for the holidays? 

I’m Jewish, my wife [Paige] is Catholic, so we say that our kids are cashews. We do all the holidays, So, for Hanukkah we have the latkes, light the menorah, and then we’re going to get a great tree. My wife likes a very specific type of Christmas tree, so we are going to Christmas tree lots until we find the perfect one. We’re going to enjoy that. We get to really indulge in all the holiday spirit.

Biter Matthew Chavana takes bait with Paul Silva and Tina Estrella, as seen on Sweet Deceit, Season 1. (Food Network)

Did you have any takeaways regarding the baking progress while filming? 

Honestly, the more practical things spoke to me. Just because I’m very aware of my limitations, since I could never come close to what these cake artists are doing. For instance, Jonny Cakes taught me that there’s a really great sub for a box cake to elevate it. So, instead of doing three eggs, you do a fork. And instead of oil, you sub butter. And instead of water, you sub milk. And suddenly, what was like, a $4 or $5 box cake from your local Target becomes this actually very delicious, slightly homemade bun.

Are the kids starting to watch your work? 

They’re excited for Ice Age. I have Ice Age 6 is coming out in March. They love the franchise, and it’s cool that I’ve been able to do all those movies. I know they can’t wait for the new one. I go home, and I’ll tell them a line that I just recorded from the movie, and then they tell me that’s in violation of my NDA. And I go, how did you learn that? You’re like 6. Kidding, but they do love those movies. 

Going from hosting shows to social media to acting in Cross and other projects, how do you look at your career today? Starting out as a child star and going as far as you have in terms of longevity, what does that mean to you?  

I don’t really identify with that label of child star. I just think I’m an actor who started young, and I’ve been so lucky to be able to have my career mirror what I was interested in. Getting a chance to have a small part in Oppenheimer or The Last of Us to really scratch that itch for me of doing higher level dramatic work. And then, in the interim, I wound up building a family and wanting to make something my kids could enjoy. We love sitting at home and sort of battling over who we think is going to win in a food competition show or Floor Is Lava. I’m so glad that at this point in my life, I’m going to be 40 next month, that I can be making content that my entire family can enjoy. 

Do you have a favorite Food Network show now that you’re kind of part of this universe?

I’m an OG. Obviously, Ina [Garten] is the queen. Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives is my go-to as I fall asleep at night. What can I say? Guy Fieri is part of the family, whether he knows it or not. 

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You’ve been doing a number of speaking engagements including one coming up at Purdue University. How is it for you to kind of open up and share your life experience in this way? 

I’ve done speaking gigs for about a decade now. When I started, I was in my late 20s.I felt a lot more pressure because I didn’t feel that far away from, sort of, the college experience. Now almost 40, I want to first entertain these kids who I know are feeling all the stress of academics and finals and everything the world throws at young people. I know that for an hour at some random night in Indiana when I do Purdue, or recently when I did Sacred Heart in Connecticut, I know for an hour, they’re going to be able to have a reprieve. They’re going to hear some stories from someone, hopefully, they grew up with. I hope I can leave them with at least one thing that will benefit them. Like you’ve said, I’ve had a lot of experiences and been lucky enough to navigate some of life’s challenges. So, my only real wish is to share that with them and hopefully make their journey a little easier.

Sweet Deceit: Trick or Treat, Mondays, 10/9c, Food Network (Next Day on HBO Max)
Sweet Deceit: Holiday premiere, November 16, 9/8c, Food Network (Next Day on HBO Max)