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USA Today: World Food Championships return to Vegas

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Posted Nov 7, 2013

World Food Championships return to Vegas

By Grace Bascos

If you live for competitive cooking shows like Top Chef or Chopped, you'll hit the jackpot November 7-10 in Las Vegas. That's when the World Food Championships take over Fremont Street Experience for a whole weekend of cooking competitions, demonstrations and tastings.

Over 300 competitors, ranging from avid home cooks to professional chefs, put their skills to the test in seven different categories: sandwiches, barbecue, chili, burgers, pasta, bacon and dessert. The opening rounds take place November 7 and 8, with championship rounds on November 9. Winners from each category face off on November 10 for a final showdown, where the winner takes home their share of the $300,000 prize purse.

Now in its second year, the World Food Championships made the move from the Strip to Downtown, where the public is welcome to watch the competitions for free.

"I think World Food Championships is currently in the process of redefining food competitions as we know them, and make them more appealing as a spectator sport," says Ben Vaughn, this year's World Food Championships host and host of Food Network's Health Inspectors. "There's a fascinating subculture of people who live and die to compete. That's why there's thousands of live competitions and even more of the online recipe contest variety. We love watching people excel at what they do best, we love food and competition."

SEE MORE: Worldwide food festivals and events

In addition to the competitions, ticketed events serve up a taste of what the judges do. On November 9, Bacon lovers will find themselves in hog heaven for the Ultimate Bacon Experience, where chefs from Las Vegas Cordon Bleu recreate recipes from the Bacon World Championship competitors.

If you've ever wanted to learn what it takes to judge barbecue, check out the four-hour class on November 7 to learn what proper championship barbecue -- including brisket, pork and ribs -- should look, smell and taste like. Attendees earn a yearlong membership to the Kansas City BBQ Society and are qualified to judge at barbecue competitions.

For Vaughn, who was a judge at the final table at last year's World Food Championships, the lineup and high caliber of talent for this second year is a great indication of how much the event has grown.

"I'm looking forward to the maturity of year two, as it brings new competitors together against veterans who have a better understanding and ability for what World Food Championship is really about," he said. "The varying degrees of 'season' and experience are one of the many interesting or unique things about the World Food Championships. I firmly believe that the competitors who will perform the best are the chefs and cooks who keep things simple. Championship food, and all great food in general, doesn't require frills, bells, whistles, smoke or mirrors. It's about mastery of technique and quality ingredients."

For more information, please visit worldfoodchampionships.com.

http://www.usatoday.com/experience/las-vegas/vegas-buzz/world-food-championships-return-to-vegas/3346443/ 


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