"Diamond Chef" Makes Food Sport History with Second Category Win
They say it’s hard to strike gold twice, especially in professional competitions. But home cook Lidia “Diamond Chef” Haddadian proved that it can be done in Food Sport, as she just claimed her second consecutive category champion title at the World Food Championships (WFC) in October as the event made its debut in Dallas. After an intense five-day tournament with over 450 other competition teams, Haddadian returned home to Pasadena, California with the new title of 2019 World Recipe Champion, over $10,000 in prize winnings, a seat at WFC’s $100,000 Final Table and a perfect 100 score to add to her culinary repertoire.
Haddadian is the first person in WFC’s history to ever be crowned champion in two different categories. She received her first WFC category champion title in 2018 while competing in the event’s Chicken division. For its 2019 Ultimate Food Fight, the event replaced its Chicken Category for a Recipe division that featured challenges such as Plant-Based and CBD-infusion dishes.
As the results were announced to see who made it into the Recipe Category’s Top Ten (Final) Round, it was revealed that one of Haddadian's Opening Round dishes received a perfect 100 score from the judges. This is an accomplishment very few competitors have been able to achieve. Along with her perfect score, she also took home additional cash as one of the John Boy and Billy Bonus Bucks winners for incorporating their grillin’ sauce into her Structured and Top Ten entries.
“I’m enjoying this ride. I’m a perfectionist, and I’m always aiming to improve moving forward,” shared Haddadian.
In 2018, Haddadian had the opportunity to add to her $10,000 Category Champion earnings by competing for $100,000 and the title of World Food Champion at WFC’s Final Table: New Orleans. The Diamond Chef finished in sixth place overall and was featured in the competition’s two-part, docu-series TV show on CNBC, which aired in August 2019. Click here to view Part One and Part Two of the series.
Since being crowned a Category Champion, Haddadian has been presented with many opportunities to showcase her cooking talents. Most recently, the “Diamond Chef” performed a cooking demo with TV personalities, Jennifer Garner and Ina Garten, as a part of a special Thanksgiving event for the Walmart Community Table initiative. The two-time champion described what it’s been like to participate in such exciting opportunities.
“It’s so much fun, and it’s what I love to do. I feel it’s a part of my purpose. It truly means a great deal to be a part of such amazing projects like this, especially as a home cook. It’s fun and, hopefully, I’m able to encourage others that if I can do it, they can too.”
In Food Sport, accomplishing a back-to-back championship is no easy task. In fact, there are only a handful of competitors who have been able to accomplish this accolade during WFC’s eight-year history, but none have done it under two different categories prior to Haddadian.
“The goal is to win, but I know I’m not the only person who has talent. I was very surprised to win again,“ notes Haddadian. “I learned a lot from last year. I’ve always been a risk-taker. This time my main goal was to focus on hitting on what the judges were looking for but in an elevated way.”
It was a “one step back, ten steps forward” strategy as the Recipe Champion puts it.
While she is excited to celebrate her new victory, Haddadian already has her eyes set on her next goal — winning the World Food Champion crown.Haddadian is now preparing for WFC’s Final Table in Indianapolis in August 2020, where she will compete against the other nine category champions for a shot at the ultimate crown and a $100,000 grand prize.
“All ten of us are going to strive to win,” states Haddadian. “I’m not sure what to expect, but it’s all a part of the process of learning and getting better at what you’re good at.”
To keep up with all Final Table news, visit https://finaltable.worldfoodchampionships.com/ and follow WFC on Twitter (@WorldFoodChamp), Facebook and Instagram (@WorldFoodChampionships).
About the World Food Championships
The World Food Championships (WFC) is the highest stakes food competition in the world. This multi-day, live-event culinary competition showcases some of the world's best cooking masters competing for food, fame and fortune in ten categories: Bacon, Barbecue, Burger, Chef, Chili, Dessert, Recipe, Sandwich, Seafood and Steak. In 2019, a near-record number of 462 culinary teams from 11 countries and 42 American states competed in WFC’s Main Event. The Ten Category champs crowned will now face-off in the $100,000 challenge that will determine the overall World Food Champion at The Final Table: Indianapolis in August 2020.
Haddadian's Winning Top Ten Dish- Asian-Inspired Sweet’n Spicy Cauliflower Bites
« Back to News
Subscribe for
Email Notifications SUBMIT
Archive
- November 2024
- October 2024
- September 2024
- August 2024
- July 2024
- June 2024
- May 2024
- April 2024
- March 2024
- February 2024
- January 2024
- November 2023
- October 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- November 2022
- October 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013