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News
Elite
Qualifiers
Qualifiers
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DOMINICAN FOOD CHAMPIONSHIPS
in Santo Domingo, - September 2018
The Dominican Food Championships will qualify five competitors for the World Food Championships. Located in the beautiful Dominican Republic, we welcome these winners to compete in the biggest food competition on the planet. VIEW SITE -
MICHIGAN APPLE RECIPE CONTEST
in Lansing, MI on January 24, 2018
The Michigan Apple Committee has sponsored the annual Michigan Apple Recipe Contest in Frankenmuth during Zehnder’s Snowfest for more than a decade. The 2018 Apple Recipe Contest includes three categories: pasta, sandwiches and desserts. Prizes are awarded in each category for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners and the 1st place winner will also get a Golden Ticket with a waived entry and a travel stipend. The Michigan Apple Committee sponsors this contest to celebrate the flavor and versatility of apples as an ingredient in many dishes. VIEW SITE -
BBQ GIVES BACK
in Urbanna, VA on March 23-24, 2018
On March 23-24, 2018, the BBQ Gives Back contest will crown THREE GRAND CHAMPIONS: the KCBS contest Grand Champion, the 2017 Virginia Grands Champion, and the 2017 MABA Cup Grand Champion. This contest helps support Team Thanksgiving and gives a monetary donation to Operation BBQ Relief. The Golden Ticket for the BBQ Gives Back - KCBS Grand Champion receives a waived entry fee and travel stipend for the 2018 World Barbecue Championship. VIEW SITE -
THE TASTE
in Inverness, FL on April 14, 2018
Inverness Florida brings together the best of cuisine, craft beer and art for a one-day event with live music on the waterfront of Lake Henderson called the Taste. Attendees will taste from the best regional chefs and quirky food trucks. Beer lovers will rejoice with the 50+ Florida brew choices. This partnership event between the City of Inverness and the Citrus County Education Foundation expects 30 top regional chefs to compete and showcase their cooking talents. Chefs are required to prepare on-site in a tent or food truck. The winner receives a waived entry to the World Chef Challenge in November and a travel stipend to help them get to Orange Beach, AL. VIEW SITE -
GULF COAST CHILI COOK-OFF
in Biloxi, MS on April 21, 2018
This year’s Cookoff event returns as a Preferred Qualifier for the 2018 World Food Championships in Orange Beach, AL. To register a team to compete, or to register as a vendor or 5K run participant, Visit http://www.gulfcoastchilicookoff.com or email Dynne.Easterling@mgccc.edu. Cookoff starts at 3PM. Admission and chili tasting tickets are $10 each and can also be purchased online or at the event. Like our Facebook Page “Gulf Coast Chili Cook Off” for updates. VIEW SITE -
ALABAMA SEAFOOD COOK-OFF
in Bayou La Batre, AL on June 13, 2018
Alabama Gulf Seafood is searching for its 2018 Alabama Seafood Cook-Off champion. Finalists will be announced in late April. The winner of the 4th annual event event will go on to represent the state of Alabama in the 15th Annual Great American Seafood Cook-Off (GASCO) in New Orleans, Louisiana, and will be qualified to compete in the 2018 World Food Championships. VIEW SITE -
SMOKIN’ ON THE PECOS
in Artesia, NM on June 24, 2018
We are pleased to announce that this year our event is a qualifying event for the World Food Championships. Our Grand Champion winner on Day 2 will qualify in the category of BBQ and receive a waived entry and a travel stipend. Our Dessert winner will qualify for the World Dessert Championship (no waived entry, no travel stipend). VIEW SITE -
CULINARY FIGHT CLUB - FIGHT FEST
in Various Locations, on August 1, 2018
Think Top Chef meets Fight Club meets pop-up restaurant. If you can cook, then you can cook anywhere, with limited ingredients and on a time-crunch! Home chefs, students, moms, caterers, whoever you are, if you like to cook (and you think you're good at it), then step out of your kitchen and into the ring. Visit Culinary Fight Club's website for a list of qualifying events for this year's Culinary Fight Club "Fight Fest" where 13 Golden Tickets will be awarded! VIEW SITE -
STURGIS BURGER BATTLE
in Sturgis, SD on August 7-10, 2018
500,000 riders, concert fanatics, and street-food enjoyers attend the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally every year. This year the event includes a Burger Battle that is a Preferred Qualifier for the World Burger Championship. The winner gets a waived entry and a travel stipend to make it to Orange Beach, AL in November. Come join the fun! VIEW SITE -
THE WHARF UNCORKED
in Orange Beach, AL on September 13, 2018
The Wharf Uncorked Food & Wine Festival features tastings of delicious food and tantalizing wines, demos from renowned chefs, live and silent auctions benefiting Make-A-Wish® Alabama, wine auctions and sales and more! Some of the top chefs on the Gulf Coast will put their skills to the test in our cooking competitions. It’s a fun weekend of wining and dining at The Wharf and the winning chef will receive a Golden Ticket to the World Seafood Championship. VIEW SITE -
BACON BASH
in River Falls, WI on September 15-16, 2018
Celebrate all things bacon! Held in River Falls, WI – just 30 minutes east of St. Paul – Bacon Bash is the largest free bacon festival in the U.S. where over 12,000 attendees are expected in 2018. The winner of the Bacon Bash Cook-Off Competition will receive a Golden Ticket and paid entry to the World Food Championships along with a $1,000 travel stipend. Bacon Bash is a two-day, family-friendly event featuring a variety of bacon-inspired food booths, cook-off competitions, pig-themed activities for the entire family, live music, an arts and crafts fair, local microbrews, and much more! VIEW SITE -
JUBILEE FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS
in Old Towne Daphne, AL on September 29-30, 2018
The Jubilee Festival is held the last full weekend in September and takes place on the streets of Olde Towne Daphne. Now in its 30th year, the Festival is a celebration of the arts, the city of Daphne and the Jubilee spirit. This year, we will incorporate more than fine arts. The performing arts, the spirit of the Southern Maker and the culinary arts are an integral element of the Jubilee Festival. Nearly 15,000 patrons from along the gulf coast attend this event every year. The festival hosts more than 100 artisans. We're excited to offer two opportunities to win Golden Tickets -- one for the World Chef Challenge and one for the World Sandwich Championship. VIEW SITE -
ALABAMA FESTIVAL OF FLAVOR
in Foley, AL on October 6-7, 2018
The Festival of Flavor will give chefs an opportunity to qualify for the World Sandwich Championship that will take place in November at The Wharf in Orange Beach. The winner of the World Food Championships will receive $100,000 in cash and prizes and be named The World Food Champion! The Chamber and the Festival of Flavor are proud to be a qualifying host of the event! The Festival of Flavor will be held on October 7 and will be open to the public. The festival will have sample tastes not only from competing Chefs, but also from local breweries, wineries, restaurants, mom-and-pop shops and so much more. VIEW SITE
Meet The
Champions
Champions
Lisa Gwatney
2017 World Steak Champion
Raised in a big Italian family where food was at the heart of everything, home cook Lisa Gwatney is quite comfortable in the kitchen. However, competing in the largest Food Sport competition proved to be quite intimidating for the Memphis, Tenn., native. So intimidating in fact, she almost didn’t compete at all.
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Calling All
MEDIA
MEDIA
WFC Invites Media to Attend Final Table EventThe ten champions who won their respective categories in November at WFC's main event in Orange Beach, Ala., will now convene to see who will take home the $100,000 prize purse and ultimate bragging rights as the World Food Champion.
The Final Table event, presented by Walmart, will be held at Brightwater, a world-class culinary center in Bentonville, Ark., on Sunday, April 22.
Don't miss your chance to experience the food fighting action for yourself. Click here to request media creditentials to the biggest crowning event in Food Sport!.
