Celebrating with My Golden Ticket to World Food Championships 2015 #TaterTalent #FoodChamp

After years of hard work and dedication, I've won the most sought after and illusive cooking contests in the culinary world. I got a Golden Ticket to compete in the 2015 World Food Championships! 

Penobscot McCrum, chose my Sweet & Savory Clam-Baked, Twice Baked Potato with Apricot Jezebel, as the First Runner-Up, in their WFC qualifying, #TaterTalent Recipe Contest.

 

Thanks to Penobscot McCrum, I'm honored to join the ranks of top chefs from around the World, at this years World Food Championships, in Kissimmee Florida. I'll be competing in the Seafood Category, against many of my long-time food blogging friends.  

My Golden Ticket puts me on equal footing with professional chefs, celebrity chefs, and home cooks, alike. Competing against this group of powerhouse chefs and seasoned home cooks is a bit intimidating, but I'm ready for the challenge, and plan to bring my 'A' game!! I'll also have the chance to win cash prizes and quite possibly, take home the Gold, as Top Chef, at this years event. 

The World Food Championships is the largest competition in food sport, where champions of previous events convene in Kissimmee, Florida, for a chance at winning the ultimate food crown and a share of $300,000. The World Food Championships platform ranges from live-event integration and acivations to a robust multimedia platform that serves culinary stars, home cooks, brands and destinations. In three short years, WFC has awarded more than $1 million in prizes and money, spawned a TV series, garnered more than 5 billion media impressions and launched numerous professional careers for successful contestants. 

Landing in Celebration, Florida, for its first time, the 4th Annual World Food Championships uses a tournament format and a custom-judging process to whittle more than 500 contestants down to nine category winners who then compete for the ultimate honor at the Final Table. More than $350,000 in cash and prizes is awarded over eight days.

I'll make two recipes for the First Round: Structured Build and Signature Dish and have two (2) hours to complete both recipes, with the help of a sous chef. I'm honored to have Kim Banick, owner of The Prize of Cooking, as my sous chef, for the first round of the competition. Her husband Mark Banick, will step in as my sous for the Finalist Round (if I make it to round two). Kim Banick is also a competitor in at WFC, and an award winning chef. She will be competing in the World Open Chili Championship. 

Ten (10) finialists will be chosen by the judges and go on to compete in the Second Round, with their Infused Category recipe, utilizing Penobscot McCrum potato skins and pulp. The top finalist will then go on to cook their most impressive recipes at the Final Table where they will be judged by some of the World's most famous restaurateurs and TV personalities.   

Kim Banick: 

My passion for cooking started with my parents who owned a restaurant and catering business most of my life. In fact my mother is 77 years old and still catering. One of my hobbies turned daily passion is entering recipe and cooking contests. I competed in the seafood category in the 2014 World Food Championships. Blogging about my adventures on my website, www.theprizeofcooking.com is a way I share my passion and recipes. Besides blogging, I also teach adults with developmental disabilities how to cook. Planning and preparing a meal is more than just food, it is a gift I can give to others that brings good times and lots of memories.

I want to thank my family for their continued support and God for His blessings. 

Get ready for all the high-stakes, high-reward culinary competition to hit the Sunshine State from Nov. 3 through Nov. 10, 2015. Be sure to stay in the mix on social media (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) and sign-up for all the latest WFC news updates by connecting with us at the top of this page.