The Corpus Christi Bayfront is getting ready for a weekend filled with food, live music and culinary competition as the Texas Food Championship comes to Water’s Edge Park.
The three-day event runs September 25 through 27 and brings chefs, pitmasters, home cooks and culinary students together for live cooking competitions.
Between 150 and 200 chefs from across Texas are expected to compete, including about 30 competitors from the Coastal Bend.
Competitors will face 90-minute cooking battles across categories including BBQ, burgers, seafood, dessert, live fire and more. Dishes are judged using the E.A.T. methodology, which evaluates execution, appearance and taste.
The competition also serves as Texas’ exclusive qualifier for the World Food Championships. Competitors can earn Golden Tickets and an opportunity to advance to the World Food Championships as part of Team Texas.
Local students getting in on the action
The competition will also give local students a chance to show off their culinary skills.
Six culinary teams representing Del Mar College will compete during the Texas Food Championship, putting their skills to the test alongside chefs and pitmasters from across the state.
Students from Ray and Carroll high schools are also contributing to the event in a different way. They hand-crafted wooden tables that will be used during the championship.
But the event isn’t just about the competition.
Visitors can enjoy food trucks, BBQ and live-fire cooking, chef-driven dishes, tastings, drinks, live music and family activities throughout the weekend. The event will also feature a Farmers & Makers Market and other interactive experiences.
Fans can also take part in the action through People’s Choice tastings, where attendees can sample competition dishes and vote for their favorites in select categories.
Organizers say the goal is to create a community event for the whole family, with food, drinks, music and activities that give people a chance to enjoy the weekend together.
Kids 17 and younger can attend for free, according to event organizers.
The Texas Food Championship takes place September 25-27 at Water’s Edge Park, 602 S. Shoreline Blvd. in Corpus Christi.