COMPETITOR

Spice Your Life Rub Your Meat

HEAD COOK: Michael Hogan

COMPETITION: Bacon World Championship

My full time job is a Safety Consultant and CPR Instructor for The Cure Safety in Omaha, NE. I am a Certified American Heart CPR and First Aid Instructor and also a Certified American Red Cross First Aid and CPR Instructor My Mother was my first Culinary Instructor when I was 12, leaving detailed instructions on how to prepare dinner while she and my Dad were at work. At age 16 started working at Big Boy Restaurants and then followed my Manager to Brandeis and Younkers Catering and Food Service. This will be my 5th straight year to Qualify for The World Food Championships and 3rd year in a row to finish 1st in Taste of America contest to Qualify for WFC. Currently the Chief Cook for the Competition Team, Spice Your Life Rub Your Meat. I am a Traeger Influencer and teach Grilling and Smoking Classes at Fireplace Stone and Patio. I was a Certified Barbeque Judge and a former Board Member of The Greater Omaha Barbeque Society. I love watching food shows and then doing my own take on the dish. I have several cooking awards from BBQ to Bacon. I actually think the Bacon category is the hardest because there's so many different directions you can go. Last year finished 15th in our Category and 1 point from the Top Ten in Bacon. 2018 finished 2nd in the Structured dish of Bacon Pizza but a misstep with my Signature Dish had the clock beating me and turned it in with just 2 seconds on the clock. I have competed in the Omaha Beer and Bacon Festival 4 times qualifying for WFC 3 times and finished 1st twice. Have also competed in Culinary Fight Club 2 times winning the Tasters Choice both times. 2019 placed 1st in Steak and 5th in Dessert in the Septemberfest Ribeye and BBQ Challenge. In 2018 my daughter at age 6 entered her first Kid's Q placing 1st. And in 2019 placed 1st in Side Dish at Cooking fo the Kids for Fundraiser for Project Harmony beating 9 other adults.