Get Your Aprons Ready: What You Need to Know About the 2024 Chef Showdown
As we enter October and World Food Day approaches, that means something exciting is sizzling at Rise Against Hunger — the It Starts With a Meal™️ Chef Showdown is almost here! Our virtual cooking competition is returning for a fourth year, taking place on social media from October 7-15.
We host the Chef Showdown every year in recognition of World Food Day, an annual holiday established by the United Nations on October 16. The holiday focuses on driving awareness and action for global food insecurity — and the Chef Showdown does just that!
During this year’s competition, renowned chefs are lending their talents to create dishes inspired by one of the regions or countries where Rise Against Hunger works. From October 7-11, their cooking videos will be released on our Instagram and Facebook pages, and YOU and other Hunger Champions vote for your favorite chef until October 15 by liking, commenting and sharing their video.
Each of these engagements will count as a vote and help determine which chef will take home the Golden Whisk Award. And that’s not all! In addition to showcasing delicious international dishes, every video also highlights the state of food insecurity and Rise Against Hunger’s work to address this critical issue. So, when you vote, you’re helping to spread the word about our mission and the importance of ending world hunger.
It’s time to get your aprons ready! Keep reading to learn about this year’s chefs and what you need to know in preparation to cast your vote.
Get to Know This Year’s Participating Chefs
Talented chefs from around the world, including from Texas, Alabama, the Philippines and Italy, are competing this year. Learn more about each of them by reading their bios below, and click on their images to visit their Instagram profiles!
Nacho Aguirre and Susana Mijares — Husband and wife duo Nacho and Susana are owners of the beloved Délice Chocolatier & Patisserie in San Antonio, Texas. They are also Food Network stars, with Nacho competing in the “Spring Baking Championship” and serving as a judge for “Candy Land,” and Susan winning season 12 of the network’s “Halloween Wars.” They are competing in the Chef Showdown for the third year in a row.
JR Royol — Hailing from the Philippines and competing in the Chef Showdown for the first time, JR hosts the culinary show “Farm to Table” and won the first season of “Master Chef Philippines.” He also has a special connection to Rise Against Hunger’s work, serving as the chef at Anihan, a restaurant at the Good Food Farm, a working farm and agri-tourism resort operated by Rise Against Hunger Philippines.
Nicole McLaughlin — From Birmingham, Alabama, Nicole is the reigning 2023 and 2022 champion of the Chef Showdown. Coming back to try to win a third time, she is the producer and star of Allrecipe’s food series “You Can Cook That.” With over 20 years of experience in the culinary industry, Nicole has been featured on “The Today Show” and is popular on Instagram for her approachable recipes.
Michelle Adrillana — From the Philippines, Michelle is a chef, food and beverage consultant, content creator and advocate for Filipino cuisine. She is competing in the Chef Showdown for the third consecutive year.
Cristina Bowerman — Cristina is a Michelin-star-rated chef at the restaurant Glass Hostaria in Rome, Italy. She also recently spoke about her advocacy work and contributions to reducing food loss and waste during the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ virtual event for International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste. With a passion for creating dishes that blend flavors from around the world, she is competing in the Chef Showdown for the second time.
Cast Your Vote October 7-15
The Chef Showdown videos will be released from October 7-11, and voting closes October 15. To ensure you don’t miss your chance to vote, make sure you’re following us on Instagram and Facebook. You can like, comment and share your favorite video on those platforms to cast your vote for who you want to win the Golden Whisk Award! You don’t want to miss it — voting will be open for a limited time, with the winning chef being announced on World Food Day, October 16.
See you at the Showdown!
