Indy To Host One of the World’s Biggest Cooking Battles
INDIANAPOLIS — More than 300 chefs from around the world are at the Indiana State Fairgrounds this week for the World Food Championships, one of the largest competitive cooking events globally.
Now in its 13th year and second year in Indianapolis, the event is expected to draw thousands of spectators and bring significant economic activity as competitors vie for bragging rights and a share of more than $450,000 in prize money.
“This is recognized as one of the top food sport competitions in the world,” said Larry Dickerson, founder of Culinary Crossroads, told Inside Indiana Business. “We’re talking 1,300 to 1,500 competitors, including home cooks, professional chefs and barbecue teams, from more than 40 states and up to 20 countries.”
For Indianapolis, hosting the event is not just about food. It is part of an effort to position the city as a center for culinary innovation and business growth.
“Eyes from across the culinary world are on Indiana,” Dickerson said. “And they should be.”
Last year, a chef from the Cunningham Restaurant Group won his category and went on to earn the overall title of Ultimate World Food Champion. He was a first-time competitor.
“That was icing on the cake,” Dickerson said.
The competition supports the mission of Culinary Crossroads, which launched in partnership with the Indiana Office of Tourism Development in 2018. The goal is to use food to help attract visitors, workers and businesses to the state.
“If you create a narrative around food, the people, products, places and services that define Indiana’s culinary landscape, you change the way people view the state,” Dickerson said.
Culinary Crossroads has hosted “On the Road” dinners around Indiana, showcasing local farms, chefs and food producers. The organization also focuses on keeping culinary talent in the state, helping small food businesses grow and building a long-term identity for Indiana’s food industry.
Dickerson believes the World Food Championships could play a lasting role in that effort.
“We’re at a tipping point,” he said. “Indiana became the capital of auto racing and amateur sports. Food competition could be next.”
The World Food Championships return to Indianapolis October 16–19 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.
Indy To Host One of the World’s Biggest Cooking Battles was originally published on wibc.com
