Oregon pumpkin carver returns to try for another ‘Outrageous Pumpkins’ win

For amateurs who struggle to create Jack-o'-lanterns to decorate their porches on Halloween, pumpkin-carving may seem pretty daunting. But those do-it-yourself creations are nothing compared to what the contestants on Food Network's "Outrageous Pumpkins" must come up with.

The Season 5 premiere of the show, which airs Sunday, Sept. 29, will challenge the competitors to bring "terrifying nightmares to life." The second episode carries on the spooky theme, as teams will be asked to "create a crime scene by carving a location, a perpetrator and a murder weapon."

Ryan Anderson , who lives in Scio and won Season 2 of "Outrageous Pumpkins," says he was happy to jump back into the competitive fray when he was asked to join the all-star Season 5, which features 14 carvers who have either won, or been finalists in previous seasons.

"It's always fun to compete and do stuff on TV," says Anderson, 35. "For me, it was a treat to come back, and it was more special to compete with some of my good friends."

The season, which filmed on a small farm in Virginia, felt like "a big celebration," Anderson says. "You don't see these type of carvers under one roof." As he says, Anderson travels around the country to participate in carving events, "and you don't ever get this much talent. It's special in that you have such top-tier pumpkin sculptors."

In his first appearance on "Outrageous Pumpkins," Anderson made an impression because of his use of power tools, rather than more traditional pumpkin-carving tools. It was a natural choice for Anderson, because of his extensive experience doing chainsaw carving, and working with wood.

"Those are the tools that I'm good with," Anderson says. "And it didn't make sense to handicap myself. It was kind of a learning curve, learning how to finish the pumpkins so they didn't look completely massacred."

Anderson had seen a chainsaw carver who competed in the first season of "Outrageous Pumpkins," and who made to the semifinals. "I figured if one chainsaw carver can make it, I can surely make it."

Making Season 2 of the show, which aired in 2021, gave Anderson the opportunity to meet skilled pumpkin carvers. "They were so willing to share information." As much as everybody always wants to win, Anderson says, he also made some lifetime friends.

And speaking of winning, his victory in Season 2 – which ended with Anderson carving an elaborate dragon from a 1,500-pound pumpkin – meant Anderson earned $25,000 in prize money.

What did he spend that on? "We paid bills," Anderson says with a laugh. "And I set some money aside to pay for my fiancee's – now my wife's – ring."

The prize money amount has been boosted to $50,000 for whoever turns out to be the winner of the all-star Season 5.

Anderson can't say whether he carved his way to victory, but he's keeping busy with his work as a professional chainsaw carver. As the seasons change, Anderson also works with ice, sand, and, of course, pumpkins.

Asked if he has any pumpkin-carving tricks of the trade to share with non-professionals as Halloween approaches, Anderson says the most important thing is to have fun.

"And just practice," Anderson says. "The first pumpkin is never going to come out the way you want it to. If you don't like it, turn the pumpkin and carve another side."

"Outrageous Pumpkins" Season 5, hosted by Damaris Phillips, premieres at 10 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29, on Food Network. No cable? You can stream the series with a free trial of Philo, or stream it on Fubo, which also offers a free trial.