Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – Oct. 29, 2024 – Three Craighead County 4-H-ers are preparing to bring home the bacon at the World Food Championships (WFC) Junior competition.
The junior competition will kick off the 2024 World Food Championships, which will be Nov. 9-12 at the Indianapolis State Fair Grounds and Event Center. The junior division is returning to the WFC competition for the second year and will consist of 30 kids competing in the Kitchen Arena.
Team members include 15-year-old Maggie Hutton from the Arkansas Connections Academy; 14-year-old Acea Eddington, who is home-schooled; and 10-year-old Canaan Garland from Ridgefield Christian Schools. While all group members have competed in local cooking competitions, this is their first time competing as a team. To prepare, they have been practicing together twice a week since August.
Canaan won a “Golden Ticket” to WFC at the Arkansas Pie Festival in April. This qualified him to compete in the regular dessert division against professional and more seasoned bakers, but because of his age, the tournament coordinators and his parents agreed for him to compete in the junior division with a team.
“Canaan needed a team to work with,” Danyelle Hutton, Maggie Hutton’s mother, said. “He, Acea, and Maggie are all active members of Craighead County 4-H Cooking Club. Acea and Maggie have both competed individually at the local club level, various levels of state and most recently competed on the same team in August in a state competition. Each member of the team brings a different skill set to complement and balance the other members.”
Craighead County 4-H Cooking Club Leader and cooking coach LeAnn Edington said the kids have had to learn how to manage their time on a project while having to rely on a teammate to complete another part.
“These children have gone from working as three individuals to relying on each other to reach the goal they have set. All the knowledge they have garnered from this experience will serve them all throughout their life,” Edington said. “The experience at The World Food Championship provides them with the opportunity to meet other people around the country and the world who like to cook as much as they do. They will have the opportunity to see how professional chefs, bakers, pit masters, and professional competitors work in a kitchen and competitive environment to see what potential there is for their own futures.”
“While they are the youngest team to ever compete in this championship, they will learn how to set an example for other young chefs that they too can compete on a world stage,” Edington continued. “The experiences they will have from this opportunity will serve them well in whatever career path they choose. The memories they will have will last them a lifetime.”
Team member Maggie Hutton also noted that, as a home-baker, she never typically worked with meat, but through this opportunity she has gained many new skills and techniques.
“It is an absolute honor to be able to go to the World Food Championship and compete with and against these chefs,” Maggie Hutton said. “I am very excited to be involved and can’t wait to see where this goes.”
This year’s competition will spotlight the theme “Healthy Fresh,” challenging student chefs to create their best pork dish using products provided by Indiana Pork. Each competitor will have 90 minutes to prepare one “Presentation” dish and five “Sample” dishes for the judges.
Participants were selected based on several criteria, including previous top five finishes in the 2023 WFC Jr., a Golden Ticket earned through a student competition, performance in ProStart or SkillsUSA competitions, and/or coach or parent recommendations.
This year’s judges are Chef Brian Duffy from Spike TV’s “Bar Rescue;” Jaymee Sire, who has hosted and judged shows like “Beat Bobby Flay” and “Food Network Star;” Erica Roby, one of the top female pitmasters in the United States; and Chef Katie Dixon who has made appearances on “Master Chef” and “Food Network Star.”
The first-place winner will receive $1,500, second place will be awarded $750, and third place will take home $400; and additional awards will be given for best knife skills, best teamwork, and most creative dish, among other categories.