DALLAS, Texas.,, Oct. 15, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For food competitors and rising star chefs, the kickoff of World Food Championships (WFC) tomorrow is similar to largest talent audition on the planet. For foodies in Dallas, it might quickly become our official "Food Week."
The 8th Annual WFC will attract over 1500 chefs and cooks to Dallas for a chance at TV fame and a slice of the $350,000 grand prize. Beyond that, organizers of the event have developed a smorgasbord of activities that will keep any true foodie delighted during the five-day tournament of culinary champions.
In some respects, just looking at the 100 plus companies sampling food for free (once you pay the gate fee) would satisfy most appetites. But for an event coined as the largest culinary event in Food Sport, that means there's got to be more. Right?
There is. Plenty more. Like the Walmart Tasting Pavilion. The Innovation Station, where you'll find the latest cooking gadgets. Night-time events like Bourb-N-Que and The Grand Tasting*. A Fire Woman challenge. A Granny Grilling throwdown. A Dallas Food Truck Smash Up. The World Food Games (sorry, Mom, but you CAN play with food at this one). And free music from a dozen bands while Food Sport Central Desk hosts take a break from releasing results.
"It's kind of like Park & Palate got together with the State Fair and had a kid. A big kid with very active taste buds!" laughed Mike McCloud, the president and CEO of WFC.
Want some icing on the cake? First responders get in free on the first day (Wednesday, Oct. 16) and military families do as well on the second day (Thursday, Oct. 17). (Click here to view all the ways you can get in FREE at WFC).
The action begins at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday as 30+ champion chefs go head to head in the world's largest outdoor kitchen arena. Go to TasteWFC.com to find out how and where you can take a bite out of this new addition to the not-so-Dallas diet plan.
And if you want to know how big the event really is, here are some quick morsels of info that we found interesting to the eye:
- More than 100,000 lbs of food will be shipped in and cooked up for attendees during the event
- Almost 6,000 professional food entries will be served
- 1,500+ contestants (ranging from home cooks to chefs to pro teams) will attend from 40+ states and 15 countries
- Nearly 500 teams will compete in cooking competitions throughout the five-day tournament
- 450+ volunteers will assist in operations
- 230+ professionally trained E.A.T.™ food judges will determine the winners
- 170+ companies will be featured throughout the championship
- 50 suppliers will serve out FREE samples in the Walmart Tasting Pavilion
- 32 companies will showcase new culinary gadgets and trends in The Innovation Station
- 30+ unique cooking demos will be performed on The Demo Stage featuring MAXimus (as seen on Gordon Ramsay’s 24 Hours To Hell And Back)
- 20 returning WFC Category Champions who will attempt to defend or reclaim their world food titles
- 16 Texas-based companies will be introduced to VIP patrons through WFC’s Lone-Star Showcase
- 11+ local universities and high school culinary programs will be assisting the organizers and contestants during events like Bourb’N’Que and The Grand Tasting
- WFC will conduct 10 championships in the world’s largest outdoor Kitchen Arena
- 10 “cheferees” will make sure that the rules and regulations are being followed throughout the food fight
- Five kid entrepreneurial companies will be selling their products during the event
- Four different TV film crews will be covering and capturing the activities for different shows on national networks
- Two former multi-sport, pro-athletes are coming to grab a taste of the Food Sport action.
- One mobile app will provide foodies all the necessary details during the five-day event.
*WFC’s Bourb ‘N’ Que and The Grand Tasting event is 21+. Ticket price includes general admission to WFC for the day of the event.
WFC’s 8th Annual Main Event is scheduled for October 16 – 20, 2019, at Reunion Tower Lawn in Dallas, Texas. To keep up with all WFC news, follow the event on Twitter (@WorldFoodChamp), Facebook and Instagram (@WorldFoodChampionships).
About the World Food Championships
The World Food Championships (WFC) is the highest stakes food competition in the world. This multi-day, live-event culinary competition showcases some of the world's best cooking masters competing for food, fame and fortune in ten categories: Bacon, Barbecue, Burger, Chef, Chili, Dessert, Recipe, Sandwich, Seafood and Steak. In 2018, over 1,500 contestants on nearly 500 official teams from 42 American states and 12 countries competed. More than 20 million people have attended WFC or have seen it on national TV over the past seven years. This year's Main Event will be held in Dallas, Texas at Reunion Tower Lawn, Oct. 16-20.
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