The 2025 Tampa Bay Wine & Meals Competition occurs subsequent week and anticipation is constructing. The pageant’s Chef Showdown, one of many key occasions and hosted by celeb chef Robert Irvine, is a night of aggressive cooking and stay demos.
Kicking off the pageant weekend, the Chef Showdown showcases 16 of the world’s main cooks, together with all reigning champions, as they battle one another in a collection of eight thrilling showdowns. Two new battle classes, Battle Surf ‘n’ Turf and Battle Smokehouse, make their debut this 12 months. These battles supply visitors the last word judging expertise to pattern, savor, and vote for his or her favourite at every “battle pavilion.” Attendees obtain poker chips to put votes after tasting the competing dishes. The winner of the evening takes dwelling a $2,000 prize courtesy of BMW.
Cooks from every battle take the Publix Culinary Showdown Kitchen stage for stay demos of their dishes. The competitors lineup for Chef Showdown consists of all reigning champions from final 12 months’s battles versus new opponents:
- Battle Fried Hen Sponsored by Stella Artois: Chef Joe Dodd of King of the Coop (2x champion) vs Chef Aikeem Riley of Saucin Wings
- Battle Surf n Turf Sponsored by Meats by Linz and True World Meals: Chef Ted Dorsey of Sunshine Metropolis Tavern vs Chef Jason Ruhe of Brick & Mortar Kitchen
- Battle Truffle Sponsored by Tartufo Status: Chef Matthew Zappoli of Seminole Laborious Rock Tampa (2x champion) vs Chef Mike Morales of Sunda New Asian
- Battle Burger Sponsored by Meats by Linz: Chef Jay Narvaez of Cru Cellars (2024 champion) vs Chef Erik Youngs of Voodoo Basis
- Battle Taco Sponsored by Mr. Greens: Chef Christopher Yadid Garcia of Tacos Las Californias (2x champion) vs Chef Matthew Brennan of Lona Tampa at Marriott Water Road
- Battle Smokehouse Sponsored by Meats by Linz: Chef Bryan Jacobs of The Liberty Smokehouse vs Chef Cameron Capri of Q Southern BBQ
- Battle Seafood Sponsored by True World Meals: Chef Jon Walker of The Tides Seafood Market (2024 champion) vs Chef David Reyes of St. Petersburg Distillery (2x Battle Sushi champion)
- Battle Pasta: Chef Tony Macaroni of Devito’s Italian Specialties (2024 champion) vs Chef Anthony Santos, Superstar Personal Chef
Are you going to this 12 months’s Tampa Bay Wine & Meals Competition?
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