by Jolene Ketzenberger | Nov 14, 2024 | News
Indianapolis – The World Food Championships (WFC) has announced the 2024 champions, spotlighting Indiana’s own Collin Hilton of Indianapolis, who claimed the title in the World Noodle Championship. Hilton, a chef with Cunningham Restaurant Group and representing Team Indiana, triumphed in a fierce competition that brought together culinary talents from more than 35 states and almost 20 countries at the Indiana Farm Bureau Fall Creek Pavilion.
The WFC, a global leader in food sport, hosted this year’s competition from Nov. 8-12 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in the new Farm Bureau Fall Creek Pavilion with live demonstrations, fan experiences and intense contests across 12 food categories. Hilton and the other champions will advance to the Final Table, to be held in Bentonville, Ark., where they’ll compete for an additional grand prize of $150,000.
“First of all, I want to congratulate all of our competitors for making it to the Championships – it’s a long, hard road to get here and all of them had to prove themselves along the way,” said Mike McCloud, founder of World Food Championships. “We had some outstanding competitors from all corners of the US and close to 20 countries, making this year bigger and more challenging than ever. Each of our 12 champions deserves incredible kudos. And I can’t wait to see them compete again in a few months at the Final Table for an additional Grand Prize of $150,000!”
Indiana was well represented at the event, with more than 20 chefs competing from Indianapolis and around the state. In addition to Hilton’s first place win in the noodle category, here are the Indiana chefs who placed in the top 10 in their categories:
- Alan Sternberg of Bluebeard, second in noodle.
- JJ Boston of Chef JJ’s, second in sandwich.
- Craig Baker of the InterContinental Hotel, third in sandwich.
- Jen Norem of Knox, Ind., sixth in sandwich.
- Travis Hitch of Kan-Kan, third in the chef category.
- Dave White of Great White Smoke in Bloomington, fourth in barbecue.
- Cindy Hawkins of Circle City Sweets, sixth in dessert.
- Neeti Chaudhri of Little India, fifth in rice.
- Marlen Wensel of Apricot Sun, seventh in rice.
- Marcus Daniel of Bridgeport in Fort Wayne, seventh in vegetarian.
The WFC also included a junior division. Carmel high school culinary students Julia Hohne and Maddie Arroyo took first place in the WFC Jr. competition.
This was the first year for the WFC to be held in Indianapolis, and the event is expected to return in 2025.
“It’s always a tremendous feat to see everything come together each year at our big event,” said Mike Eaton, CEO and president of World Food Championships. “Between the collection of incredible chefs that compete, our sponsors who help make everything possible and our talented team of cheferees and behind-the-scenes staff who bring this all together, it truly is a group effort. I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention the amazing hospitality of our host city Indianapolis and the state of Indiana and their supportive community. The Indiana State Fairgrounds & Event Center made for a truly spectacular venue this year.”
Alongside Hilton, 11 other champions earned top honors in their respective categories:
- World Bacon Championship: Jack MacMurray from Ballwin, Mo.
- World Barbecue Championship: Shawn Williams, RibLife from Butler, Ala.
- World Burger Championship: Hassan Naja, One More from Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- World Chef Championship: Jevon Brewer, Umoja Food Group from St. Louis
- World Dessert Championship: Emily Bench, Piggin’ Whiskey from Hot Springs Village, Ark.
- World Live Fire Championship: Michelle O’Guinn, Ain’t it the Life from Lakeland, Tenn.
- World Rice Championship: Ryan von Smith, Chef von & Mom from Scranton, Pa.
- World Sandwich Championship: Phil Johnson, Phil the Grill from Phoenix
- World Seafood Championship: Zachary Hassilev from Fort Belvoir, Va.
- World Soup Championship: Tina Crutchfield, Soup A Stars from Aransas Pass, Texas
- World Vegetarian Championship: Ricardo Viesca Gutierrez, Sheraton Dallas from Dallas
The 2024 WFC was made possible through partnerships with presenting sponsor Sam’s Club, along with Bolners Fiesta, Tyson, Wright Brand Bacon, Famous Dave’s, St Pierre, Diversified Foods and Maple Leaf Farms. Special thanks to Visit Indy, the Indiana State Fairgrounds & Event Center, Indianapolis Airport Authority and Indiana Destination Development Corp. for their support in bringing this event to life.
by Jolene Ketzenberger | Oct 31, 2024 | News
We’ve been counting down for months, and in less than a week, the World Food Championships will kick off the largest competition in food sport right here in Indianapolis Nov. 8-12!
The competition brings more than 1,200 chefs, home cooks and barbecue teams from across the country and around the world to the Indiana Farm Bureau Fall Creek Pavilion at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. The new facility will become Kitchen Arena, with rows of cooking stations set up for competitors, plus weekend demos, samples and a Saturday and Sunday Taste of the WFC culinary experience (available from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.) and a VIP area (available 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday). Outdoors, weekend attendees can get their game on in the Family Fun Zone, watch Sunday’s Fire Woman challenge and explore the Tyson Tailgate Zone with demos and samples from barbecue legends.
Tickets are still available here for daily and weekend general admission, as well as for the Taste of the WFC experience and the VIP area. On Monday, Nov. 11, admission is free for veterans and active military (with valid military ID). Admission is free for all attendees on Tuesday, Nov. 12.
Here’s a quick overview of what to expect at Indy’s first World Food Championships.
Friday, Nov. 8
Day 1 kicks off with the Biscuits & Jampionship at 9 a.m. The WFC Jr. competition, featuring young chefs age 12-17 from Indy and around the country, runs from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Then at 2 p.m., the Last Chance Qualifier takes place with chefs still competing for their place in the weekend competition. Competitors in all categories will be checking in all day, and judges will take a refresher course in the WFC’s E.A.T. judging methodology that focuses on execution, appearance and taste. All competitors enjoy a welcome reception that evening in downtown Indy.
Saturday, Nov. 9
The action begins at 9 a.m. with the Bacon and Barbecue categories, followed by the Rice competition at 10:30 a.m. The Seafood competition starts at noon, and the Live Fire opening round takes place at 1 p.m. The Chef category opener is at 1:30 p.m. and the final category of the day, Desserts, begins at 3 p.m. Top finishers in each category will be announced later in the day.
Sunday, Nov. 10
Another busy day in Kitchen Arena, as the Sandwich category begins at 9 a.m. along with day two of Barbecue. The Burger opening round starts at 10:30 a.m., with the Vegetarian competition as well as the Fire Woman challenge kicking off at noon. The Soup category begins at 1:30 p.m., and the Noodle competition starts at 3 p.m. Top finishers will be announced that evening.
Monday, Nov. 11
It’s now time for the finals, with the Bacon round beginning the action at 9 a.m., Rice at 10 a.m. and Seafood at 11 a.m. The Chef category final is at noon and Dessert at 1 p.m. The day wraps up with the Live Fire final at 2 pm.
Tuesday, Nov. 12
The finals continue with the Sandwich category starting the day at 9 a.m. The Burger final begins at 10 a.m., Vegetarian at 11 a.m. and the Soup final at noon. The Noodle category final is at 1 p.m., and the Barbecue final is at 2 p.m. The final round award show, announcing the winners in each category, runs from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., wrapping up the weekend’s competition.
by Jolene Ketzenberger | Oct 17, 2024 | News
The World Food Championships will take place in Indianapolis in less than three weeks, and the excitement is building as the biggest competition in food sport prepares to descend upon Indianapolis. But it’s going to take a lot of volunteers to make the magic happen.
The World Food Championships will bring more than 1,200 competitors – professional chefs, home cooks and barbecue teams – to the Indiana Farm Bureau Pavilion at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Nov. 8-12. Competitors have been preparing for months to present their dishes for judging, but there’s a lot of effort that goes on behind the scenes when that happens.
And according to the WFC website, “here’s your chance to join in on the food-fighting fun!”
The WFC has various volunteer opportunities for food sport fans to get involved throughout the event, and those interested can sign up here. Members of the WFC’s volunteer crew could be doing anything from helping set up the festival site to keeping a watchful eye on various entry points to helping serve championship food in the VIP lounge or even helping to answer questions for everyone as they come and go throughout the event.
That might even mean helping out celebrity chef Eric Greenspan, who will take on the role of culinary advisor and host of the highly anticipated “Taste of WFC” event, a premium gastronomic experience Nov. 9-10.
Renowned for his innovative approach to comfort food and his dynamic TV presence, Greenspan will bring his expertise and passion to enhance the WFC culinary landscape. He will guide the development of the Taste of WFC, offering exclusive insights into the artistry behind competitive cooking and co-developing the private tasting menu with multiple former WFC Food Champions. This new premium experience will give guests an insider’s look into the world of food sport, featuring live cooking demos, tastings and unprecedented competition access.
The Taste of WFC will feature a unique sampling “passport” not offered to the general public and inspired by award-winning dishes from past events. In addition, guests of this premium experience will participate in live demos and engage directly with top-tier chefs and mixologists.
Tickets to the 2024 World Food Championships can be purchased online. For more information about the World Food Championships, visit WorldFoodChampionships.com.
by Jolene Ketzenberger | Oct 4, 2024 | News
Indianapolis foodies count themselves lucky to have talented chefs, top-notch restaurants and the Ivy Tech culinary program in their midst to train the next generation of our culinary rock stars. And of course scholarships are key to support that pipeline of talent. Later this month, an Evening with Five Chefs will take place at The Alexander hotel, a scholarship fundraising event that lets you into the kitchen to see all the culinary action.
This student scholarship fundraiser, sponsored by the Greater Indianapolis Chapter of the American Culinary Federation and Culinary Crossroads, will benefit culinary students of central Indiana.
Hosted by chef Eli Laidlaw, executive chef at The Alexander hotel, this chef-curated event showcasing the art, architecture and agriculture of central Indiana has been reimagined as an ever-evolving culinary experience.
This year chef Laidlaw will lead a team of local chefs as they create their dishes in the Market Table at The Alexander, where guests can get up close to the action, interact with the guest chefs and watch while they cook. This casual culinary event is designed to immerse attendees in kitchen experience and allow them to learn from each chef and gain a new appreciation for their craft.
In addition to Laidlaw, participating chefs include chefs Ed Sawyer, Erica Oakley and Erin Oechsle, as well as a surprise “mystery chef.”
Proceeds from the evening will go to the Greater Indianapolis ACF Scholarship Fund and the Greg Hardesty Fund.
Tickets for An Evening with Five Chefs are available here.
by Jolene Ketzenberger | Sep 19, 2024 | News
As you can tell by our countdown clock, all of us here at Culinary Crossroads are excited to welcome the World Food Championships to Indy in November. But we’re also stoked to see kid chefs take over Kitchen Arena for the second year of the WFC Jr. Competition.
This year’s WFC Jr. competition takes place Friday, Nov. 8 and will spotlight the theme “Healthy Fresh,” challenging student chefs to create their best pork dish using products provided by Indiana Pork. Each competitor will have 90 minutes to prepare one presentation dish and five sample dishes for the judges.
The WFC is currently accepting applications for this Second Annual WFC Jr. Competition. If you are a parent or instructor of an aspiring chef aged 12-17, you can submit their name for consideration by completing the application form here. Please note that submissions must be made by a parent or culinary instructor, as applications directly from prospective competitors will not be accepted.
Participants will be selected based on several criteria, including previous top 5 finishes in the 2023 WFC Jr., a Golden Ticket earned through a student competition, performance in ProStart or SkillsUSA competitions, and/or coach or parent recommendations. The first-place winner will receive $1,500, second place will be awarded $750, and third place will take home $400. Additional awards will be given for best knife skills, best teamwork, and most creative dish, among other categories.
“We are excited to partner with Indiana Pork to inspire and fuel the passion of the next generation of food champs,” said Mike McCloud, founder of World Food Championships. “Our event offers something for every age to enjoy, and we hope that these young chefs will gain valuable experience that may one day lead them to compete in Kitchen Arena at the highest level.”
Since its debut in 2012, WFC has garnered a global following, providing unique culinary experiences at live events and through numerous television appearances. The WFC platform has revolutionized competitive cooking, known as “Food Sport,” by offering a level playing field, a fair judging system and innovative culinary programming. Over the years, WFC has facilitated the creation of more than 10,000 new dishes and has partnered with local non-profits, charities and food banks across the U.S. The 2024 World Food Championships will be held in Indianapolis from Nov. 8-12, with qualifying events taking place throughout the year. Tickets to the 2024 World Food Championships can be purchased online.
