I’ve been knee deep in preparations for the World Food Championships that will be held in Las Vegas this week. Actually, the contest takes over Downtown Las Vegas for a week of exciting competition.
Competitive cooks from around the country, and even some international destinations, are heading to Las Vegas to compete in what is billed as “the ultimate food fight.” Up for grabs by the winning recipe: $100,000!
- 400+ competitors ranging from professionals to home cooks like myself
- 9 categories: Barbecue, Chili, Burger, Dessert, Sandwich, Recipe, Pasta, Seafood, and Chef
- 39 US states represented and finalists from 8 other countries will compete
Kitchen Coliseum is where all the cooking happens and sponsored by Kenmore.
I’m in the dessert category.
In the Opening Round, competitors will have 2 hours and 15 minutes to create two different entries, or builds, using different competition criteria.
For my first entry I have to prepare a Signature Dish which is anything goes as long as it fits the category. For the second, all finalists must make a New Orleans themed dish. If that seems crazy, it is! Honestly, I’m freaking out a little. I never take the easy way out and I’ve created two ambitious dishes that I hope the judges will enjoy. They will be scoring the dishes on execution (35%), appearance (15%), and taste (50%).
If the combined score of both dishes is enough to get me into the top 10, I live to cook another day where the theme will be “citrus.” The winner of that round goes on to cook at The Final Table where all categories will prepare their best dishes and the judges will choose the $100,000 World Food Champ.
The World Food Championships is open to both professionals and amateurs and to participate, finalists must have won a qualifying event. My qualifier was the Colavita Olive Oil “Better Than Butter” contest and I’m excited to announce that Colavita is sponsoring me at the event! Also, I am thrilled to be partnering with Colavita throughout 2015 to bring some “Fresh From the Garden” inspiration through recipes and tips featuring some of Colavita’s delicious products.
Win, lose, or draw my preparations for this contest means that you’re going to get some inspired new recipes after the contest — they’re top secret at the moment! In the meantime, follow my adventures at the World Food Championships on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter — I’d love to hear from you! And when you do, use the hashtag #BetOnBrett! My friend Lori came up with it last year and it’s perfect for Vegas and the World Food Championships!
Photos courtesy of Michaela Rosenthal and World Food Championships.
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