3:17 to Naptown

few weeks ago, I was walking down 34th St. in Manhattan,  

just having finished dropping off a delivery to one of my regulars.

when I received a phone call from WFC’s main PR rep, Marlon, whom I work with from time to time.

He just wanted to get into my headspace about a cooking segment I was doing for Connecting America the next day.

He then asked me my plans for the World Food Championships.

Marlon: “So what’s going on with Indiana?”

Me: “What do you mean?”

Marlon: “Well, you’re competing, right?”

Me: “Well, damned I tried, but the competition is getting better. I wasn’t able to get a golden ticket this year. I think I’m gonna sit this one out.”

Marlon: “Understood, but I think it would be a good idea if you go.”

Me: “I get that, but I don’t think financially and all that I could swing it this time.”

Marlon: “I understand, but I think you need to find a way down there this year… ”

And that was the conversation that jump-started my fifth year competing in the World Food Championships.

Within a week, after many strings being pulled, I was barreling down Rte. 70, getting ready to compete,

as well as work

The Ultimate Food Fight

And I got some gossip for you about these people: They’re awesome.

They busted their asses and made sure that the entire show ran as smoothly as humanly possible.

I can’t say enough good things about them, and that crew was the backbone of the show.

Saturday, it was time for me to compete.

The problem was that I was so enthralled with everything that was going on as a worker, I kind of blanked out on the whole reason I wanted to be there:

Getting one of those Golden Tickets for 2026.

There wasn’t much talk about what the theme was (later found out it was anything goes), and I didn’t have a single chance to practice.

So you know me, Valhalla, let’s do the damn thing.

Going through the Rolodex of recipes in my mind from years and years of cooking, I wanted to create something different and unique for the judges. And then it hit me…

The Turducken Burger.

One of the first burgers that I have ever done was that.

The mixture of lean meat from the ground chicken and turkey, mixed with duck fats and aromatics, has been something I’ve been fooling around with for almost a decade,

and I figured now would be the right time to bring it out on one of the biggest culinary stages in the world.

So that’s what I went with.

No practice run.

No tinkering with the recipe.

Just one shot to do it right.

I was proud with how the dish turned out.

This super moist fowl patty, melted Gruyère and Gouda cheese, topped with a cranberry orange bacon chutney.

All of which nestled inside a freshly toasted Parmesan-encrusted pretzel roll, complete with hand-cut french fries, and a citrus aïoli that just brings everything together.

It was a damn good burger.

My fellow competitors agreed. One of the chefs even took a bite, and squeezed the burger to see all of the juices come out. Anyone that tried that burger told me later on how amazing and different it was. I felt good about it…

The judges, however, begged to differ.

Ended up with a 91.75 out of 100. It was good—great, even.

Some might say spectacular. But for the five people that I needed it to matter to, it was top 20.

Translation: I got 20th place.

Well, at least I got Sunday to look forward to.

The next day, I threw on my Sam’s Club Super Chef jacket, threw on my “86’d me” beanie, and made my way to the Bite Club stage, where I did five different battles in a day.

This was the day I was most looking forward to, mainly because I get to 100% be myself, clown around with the audience, and most of all, cook.

Throughout the day, I competed against four different chefs. Each one with a résumé that towers over mine, and let me tell you, I have a pretty nice résumé at the moment. The chefs I battled with were as follows:

• Aundre Blasingame: 2 Time Texas Pro Start Culinary State Champ Coach, 2x WFC vet
• Liz Kraatz: 2 Time WFC Chili Champion, featured on the Food Network multiple times
• Shawn Niles (The Fat Pastor): MasterChef season eight competitor, creator of the Yakima Bite Club (which The Sam’s Club Bite Club is based on). Even his son, Asher, was there. Not only as a competitor (MasterChef Jr. alumni, WFC Jr.), but as an MC when the Yojimbo and the Pastor did battle (he also beat me in the Super Qualifier by an 1/8 of a point).
• Lori McLain: 2021 World Soup Champion, 12x WFC vet

I’d be lying if I told you I was confident throughout the whole thing. It was nerve-racking. It was a lot of fun, but I felt like I needed to show up.

And I did.

The best part of it all, I had a fan.

This kid had watched me do the first three battles with his dad, and he looked like he was having the time of his life.

Towards the end of the day, he wanted to take a picture with me, which I happily obliged.

And that’s a little weird for me, and I’ll tell you why.

I don’t see myself as anything more than a guy who loves to cook.

But, to have someone appreciate it as much as I do, and to show their appreciation to me for it, makes this journey of mine even better.

To have a lasting influence on someone lets me know that this journey that I’m going on is worthwhile.

Till then…