CINCINNATI — An Ohio pastry chef beat out thousands of bakers trying to become ‘America’s Greatest Baker,' but she says her journey to get there wasn't easy. 

For Haley Stewart, it all started in the kitchen.

“My mom's one rule was I could do whatever I wanted in the kitchen as long as I did my own dishes," she said.

It became a passion for cooking that turned into a career, and it almost didn’t happen.

“I played hockey in college and actually kind of got really sick while I was there and lost a lot of weight, so I came home and after a year of college came home and kind of was like reevaluating things…and my dad suggested culinary school," Stewart said.

She’s been a part of Cincinnati’s culinary scene since.

After she graduated from culinary school, she stepped up to become a pastry and catering chef. She's been making her favorite cookies, cupcakes and donuts.

But she said getting to that point wasn’t easy.

“Starting off in the industry, you know, I was 20, 21, and a lot of the men that worked for me were a lot older than me, and I had a hard time getting that respect and proving that I'm able to be a leader and I know what I'm doing," Stewart said.

Now she’s been balancing her time between wife, mom, pro-chef and a new challenge.

She’s been trying to become America’s "Greatest Baker." It's a competition hosted by the "Cake Boss" himself Buddy Valastro.

She was close. Her homemade donuts landed her among the top bakers. She came in fifth place during the semi-finals in the national competition.

“It's been really, really awesome just to see the support and people I don't even know voting for me just because I'm from Cincinnati," Stewart said.

To her supporters and family, she's already the "Greatest Baker."

You can find some of Stewart's pastries at the Moerlein Lager House restaurant in Cincinnati and Roebling Event Center, where she currently works as a pastry chef.