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Unique Recipes Win at Southern Illinois Showdown

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Unique Recipes Win at Southern Illinois Showdown

It was quite the showdown in Southern Illinois this past weekend. In conjunction with the Murphysboro Barbecue Cook-Off, the World Food Championships hosted its “Southern Illinois Showdown,” a Super Regional qualifying event. The three top entries from each category were given free entry into the ultimate food fight. And earning that ticket to Vegas is no easy task. Competitors at the Southern Illinois Showdown were given one hour, against the elements, to prepare their best dish.

Competitors came prepared to battle in two categories: bacon and seafood. Recipes ranged from maple bacon infused ice cream to pineapple bacon, but only one recipe could reign supreme. Mike Johnson of team Sugarfire Smokehouse proved to be the ultimate bacon boss with his winning recipe—Bacon Tacos with Bacon Fat Poached Lobster and Mango Salsa. Between now and November, Johnson and his team will be perfecting a recipe for the ultimate showdown—the World Bacon Championship.

Bacon might have been boss in Murphysboro, but seafood was king. The seafood chefs went coastal, creating dishes such as New Orleans Style BBQ Shrimp and Cioppino, a San Francisco Italian Seafood Soup. It was Tina Porritt’s Seafood Wonton that wowed the judges, though. Porritt’s combination of seafood, cheeses, vegetable, and spices baked in a wonton earned her a Golden Ticket to the World Seafood Championship.

Porritt and Johnson will both have a shot at the ultimate title of World Food Champion, but they will first have to face the best chefs in their respective category competitions, bacon and seafood.

Additional qualifiers for the World Food Championships included Dan Lewis and Terry Reinhardt in Seafood, and Dan Richard and Phil Wingo in Bacon. Best of luck to all winning competitors as they travel on to Vegas in November. 

Competitor

Name of Recipe

Overall

Execution

Appearance

Taste

Mike Johnson             

Bacon Taco with Bacon Fat Poached Lobster and Mango Salsa

97.125

39

38

39

Dan Richard

Bacon Pecan Pie and Bacon Chip Ice Cream

95.375

37

38

39

Phil Wingo

Porkmafia Pineapple Bacon

92.625

38

35

37

Kathy Pence           

Commanders' Candied Bacon

91.25

37

37

36

Stephanie West

Lobster, Bacon, and Corn Chowder with Crostini and Warm Bacon Jam

90.625

35

40

36

Luke Ray 

Maple Bacon Infused Ice Cream with Candy Bacon

90.5

36

34

37

Debbie Cruit

Bacon Wrapped Green Beans 

88.625

35

38

35

Bradney Luckhart

Nuthatch Hill Bacon Tomato Aioli Sandwich

85.125

34

31

35

Chris Gualdoni

Italian BBC (Bacon, Beef and Cheese)

82.5

37

36

33

 

           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Competitor

Name of Recipe

Overall

Execution

Appearance

Taste

Tina Porritt              

Seafood Wonton

98.375

39

38

40

Dan Lewis

Crab Delight

97.875

39

40

39

Terry Reinhardt

Risotto and Scallops

94.125

38

39

37

Debbie Cruit              

Garlic-Infused Seafood Niemer

92.5

36

36

38

Sylvia Soileau

Crawfish New Orleans

92.5

37

37

37

Brandi Bradley              

New Orleans Style BBQ Shrimp

92.125

38

37

36

Michael Blank

Cioppini San Francisco Style Italian Seafood soup

89.5

36

38

35

Adam Macfarlane

Mac's Southern Shrimp Sliders

89.125

34

35

37

Michael Roddey

Seafood Duet of Pan Seared Alaskan King Salmon & Shrimp Mousse Roulade

87.125

37

36

33

Eden Thorne

Amalfi Penne con Portobello            

86.25

35

35

34

Linda Reiff

Murphy Meet Miami (Apples & Oranges) Shrimp Salad

86.25

35

35

34


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