Chef Showdown

Entering its eighth exhilarating season, the NCRLA Chef Showdown is North Carolina’s premier statewide culinary and mixology competition. This distinguished event, presented by Got To Be NC, spotlights the exceptional talent of North Carolina’s chefs, pastry chefs, mixologists, and distilleries. Competitors are tasked with creating dishes and drinks that highlight the finest North Carolina proteins, produce, and products, vying for the esteemed titles of NCRLA Chef of the Year, NCRLA Pastry Chef of the Year, NCRLA Mixologist and Distillery of the Year, and introducing the new category for 2024, NCRLA Best Mocktail of the Year.

The Grand Finale, set for August 26, 2024, at Bay 7 at the American Tobacco Campus in Durham, promises to be a showcase of innovation, creativity, and local pride. Winners will earn the honor of joining the 2024-2025 Got To Be NC team of culinary and beverage ambassadors, further solidifying their role in promoting North Carolina’s rich gastronomic and agricultural heritage. For our guests sipping and sampling pleasure, each of the sweet and savory plates served at the Grand Finale will be paired with a sample-sized pour of an award-winning NC Wine.