World Food Championships 2014 Winner Announced!

World Food Championships 2014

Congratulations

Jodi Taffel
@TheBaconBabe
Member Since Jun 2014

Hi Everyone!

Janet here... I think I've finally recovered from the World Food Championships. What an exciting, hectic and tiring week it was! This year, 17 cooks competed on the Just A Pinch team and I recognized a few other Just A Pinchers competing too.

Round 1 had cooks creating their signature recipe and then a structured dish based on the sponsor of their category. If a competitor ranked in the Top 10 of their category, they went to the Category Finals. Then had to come up with another recipe, this time using an assigned ingredient.

After more than two days of competition, each category Top 10 was finalized. Hidemi Walsh, Carol White, Jodi Taffel AND Paula Todora made it to their finals. I was so proud watching them on stage receiving their medals... I had tears in my eyes.

Bacon kicked-off the day and Jodi Taffel was cool, calm and collected. I was stressed watching her compete, but she never let her nerves show. Her infused ingredient was corn and she combined it with a blueberry bacon that was amazing. Her plating was magnificent - it looked like something you would see at a restaurant! Jodi's hard work paid off. She finished third in the category and took home $2,500. I have a new appreciation for bacon after watching her in action (and sampling everything she created!).

Next up was Recipe (Cheese) and Carol White was ready to fire-up her oven. Carol's infused ingredient was potatoes and her Potatoes Gratin was cheesy goodness. Mushrooms were incorporated into the sauce and added a nice earthy flavor. Carol came in fourth place surpassing any of her expectations - but we knew she could do it.

It was extremely cold when Hidemi Walsh competed in Sandwiches had to cook, but she cooked like a champ. To be honest, I'm not sure I would have been able to do what she did. Her Napolean Sandwich with an Asian Twist included Wright's Ham (her infused ingredient), tomato and cheese. She encrusted it with panko breadcrumbs and then fried it golden. It was topped with this flavorful miso sauce that was delicious. Hidemi came in 8th place and represented Just A Pinch in style. Can you believe, she competed in high heels the whole time?!

Last up was Paula Todora in Seafood. Her infused ingredient was beer and she cooked up an creamy and flavorful shrimp and grits (which warmed me up since it was so cold!). Beer had to be incorporated, so she cooked the grits in it and added it to her wonderful seafood gravy on top. In the end, Paula moved from 10th to 7th place! Considering Paula was a late addition and almost didn't compete, we'd say she did an amazing job.

We were really proud of everyone who competed on our team. Dan Rinaldi, Susan Simons, Dietricha Durtschi, Jasmin Stewart-Harbin, George Levinthal, Melissa Baldan, Lori McClain, Lori Frazee, William Smith, Trish Morris, Stephanie Berwick, Rick Browne, Jan Brown and Jane McMillian-Whittaker all gave it their best and served up some tasty food.

I loved to spend time with everyone this week and watch our home cooks in action. We may not have been competing at the final table, but I think everyone really showed how home cooks rule!

Make sure to leave a comment below and let our competitors know how proud of them you are too. And, if you want to see the World Food Championship festivities, check out the photo gallery.


-Janet
Kitchen Crew

And the winners are...

These home cooks have won a chance to cook with the pros at the 2014 World Food Championships in Las Vegas, NV. These talented guys and gals may walk away from Vegas with some serious bragging rights... and $100,000 in prize money!


Leave a comment below to wish the competitors good luck in Vegas!


Dessert Category:

Stephanie Berwick* - Albany, NY
Strawberry Chocolate Ravioli

FH Browne* - Ridgefield, WA
RB's BluBarb Pie

Trish Morris* - Spokane, WA
Raspberry Marzipan Tart

Chili Category:

Geoffry LeCher - Michigan City, IN
3-Bean and Steak Chili

Daniel Rinaldi* - Providence, RI
Fabulous Firehouse Chili

Susan Simons* - Roy, WA
Legion of BOOM!!! Chili

Sandwich Category:

Melissa Baldan* - San Diego, CA
The Matilda

Diane Hopson Smith - Pine Mountain, GA
Bacon Jammin' Chicken Extravaganza Sammich

Hidemi Walsh* - Plainfield, IN
Wasabi Mayo Salmon and Avocado Sandwich

Burgers Category:

George Levinthal* - Goleta, CA
Kicked-up All-American Cheeseburgerr

Jasmin Stewart-Harbin*
Stuffed Green Chilies Burger

Bacon Category:

Jodi Taffel*
BLT Poppers

William Smith* - Hanford, CA
Tomato Bacon Bon Bons with Bacon Tatziki Sauce

Pasta Category:

Jane McMillan-Whittaker* - Massena, NY
Fried Lobster Mac and Cheese

Rebecca Reece* - Henderson, NV
Southwest Mac and Cheese

Recipe (Cheese) Category:

Carol White* - Fort Lauderdale, FL
This Isn't a Philly Cheesesteak

Lori Frazee* - Clearwater, FL
Peppy Pimento Grilled Cheese

Seafood Category:

Kim Biegacki - Boardman, OH
Nutty Crusted Salmon w/Coconut Rum Sauce

Paula Todora* - Keller, TX
Fort Worth Fish Tacos

Maggie CookingForFun - Ohio
Grilled Seafood Sandwich Roll

And congrats also go out to our Automatic Qualifiers. These ladies did so well last year, they were automatically invited back!

Dessert: Nancy Judd - Alpine, UT

Dessert: Tammy Brownlow - Bryan, TX

Sandwich: Lori McLain* - Denton, TX

Recipe (Cheese): Jackie Mento - The Villages, FL

Pasta: V Seward - Hanford, CA

Burger: Dietricha Durtschi* - Jefferson City, MO

Burger: Helene Mulvihill - Magnolia, TX

*Competing in Vegas


Winners each receive:

  • An invitation to prepare and and compete with their winning recipe November 12-18 at the 2014 World Food Championships (WFC) in Las Vegas, NV... where prize money of up to $100,000 is up for grabs!
  • Waiver of all WFC entrance fees
  • Honorary Kitchen Crew status (Boo yah!)


Congratulations to all you fab cooks out there!  We were inundated with delicious entries in the Just A Pinch World Food Championship contest, and it's clear that ALL of you have got some serious cooking chops!

Rules and Regulations

62 Comments
LovingMyKitchen
Maggie M - over a year ago
Grace - the recipes are highlighted under the member name except for automatic qualifiers. Look above .. the winners are listed by category ...

Dessert Category
Chili Category
Sandwich Category
Burgers Category
Bacon Category
Pasta Category
Recipe (Cheese) Category
Seafood Category

You will see the link in blue .. click it .. you will then have the picture as well as the recipe.

Getting recipes on JustAPinch is about as easy as can be.

If you would like some help getting around, I will be happy to help .. send me a pm.
Gambuti
Grace Gambuti-kARAUSKY - over a year ago
Where are the winners recipes This is why I don't go to Justapinch recipes. You can never find the dam recipes. Just pictures.
Mstwinkie
Carol White - over a year ago
I just want to share this picture that I found..... Thank you again !!
View photo
cookswithwine
Rose O'Connell - over a year ago
I enjoyed reading the recap and seeing all the pictures - they all represented JAP really well. Looks like everyone had a good time.
ptodora
Paula Todora - over a year ago
Here's a short little video recap I made of my JAP Journey at The 2014 World Food Championship. Again, huge hugs and thanks to Meaghan and Janet of JAP!
TheBaconBabe
Jodi Taffel - over a year ago
Thank you so much for your support janet & Meaghan, and the whole Just A Pinch family. It was so great to have you right there in front of me the whole time I was cooking, offering encouragement and assistance. I'm so happy to have been invited into this amazing group.
JustaPinch
Kitchen Crew - over a year ago
We were so proud of everyone! Janet's working on a recap for everyone about the WFC... we'll have it posted this week. And we have some pictures to share. Congrats to everyone that participated... we had a fun and crazy week!
ptodora
Paula Todora - over a year ago
Janet and Meaghan-without you two wonderful girls I would have been left to cook with frozen mint and frozen red bell pepper (thanks for the last-minute grocery run!), and things would NOT have gone half as smoothly without you-I can't thank you enough for the time shoutouts, the equipment tips, and the constant encouragement. Plus, who could forget about the chilly morning we were all huddled around that gas grill during the competition?! Memories....can't wait til next year in Florida (maybe we can leave our jackets at home).
View photo
wsmithchef
William Smith - over a year ago
Thanks again for believing in my recipe for this yrs WFC, I'm sorry didn't bring home the bacon,so to speak but the representation was an awesome experience. Hopefully I can qualify again next yr
JJcook1
Jasmin Stewart-Harbin - over a year ago
I had a great time. It was nice meeting all of the Just a pinch family! Everyone represented well!
Mstwinkie
Carol White - over a year ago
Big shout out and thanks to Janet and Meagan..... Thank you for your help and encouragement. I am excite to have made it to 4th place in Recipe Category. I had a wonderful time.
View photo
ansky714
Lora DiGs - over a year ago
CONGRATS TO ALL THE JAP WINNERS....N EVERYONE WHO GOT TO PARTICIPATE ;)
Habibisca
Trish Morris - over a year ago
Big Thanks to Janet and Meagan. Had a wonderful time. *cheers for Just a Pinch* I hop eto make the cut again next year
BarnGoddessBBQ
Lori Frazee - over a year ago
Just wanted to say, I hope I represented the JAP group well, ended up 16 in Recipe, got to meet several members and Meaghan, thank you all for helping make my experience WONDERFUL!!! Hope to be doing it again next year in Kissimmee!!!
JeansKitchen
Flora TCaples - over a year ago
Congratulations ladies and gents. You all rock, so go there and show them what you're working with!!!!!