NCRLA

North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association

NCRLA Chef Showdown – 2021

2021 NCRLA Chef Showdown

Scenes from the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association’s annual Chef Showdown competition at the American Tobacco Campus in Durham, NC, Monday, August 9, 2021. (Eamon Queeney for the NCRLA)

Congratulations to the 2021 NCRLA Chef Showdown winners!

NCRLA Chef of the Year: Saif Rahman | Vidrio, Raleigh

NCRLA Pastry Chef of the Year: Tiesha Whittaker | Buttermilk Boutique, Clayton

NCRLA Mixologist of the Year: Colleen Hughes

NCRLA Distillery of the Year: Sutler’s Spirits, Winston-Salem

People’s Choice Savory Chef: Matthew Rivers | Timberlake’s Restaurant at Chetola Mountain Resort, Blowing Rock

People’s Choice Pastry Chef: Savanna Brodar | Kimpton Tryon Park Hotel, Charlotte

People’s Choice Specialty Cocktail & Distillery: David Schmidt representing Hackney Distillery

Runner-up for Chef of the Year: Chayil Johnson | Community Matters Cafe, Charlotte

Runner-up for Pastry Chef of the Year: Gerald Hawkins Jr. | Gaston Country Club, Gastonia 

North Carolina Department of Agriculture Culinary Ambassador Team: Saif Rahman, Tiesha Whittaker, Matthew Rivers, Savanna Brodar, Chayil Johnson, Gerald Hawkins Jr.

We’re already looking forward to the 2022 competition.

Thank you to our 2021 sponsors!

Chef Showdown in the News