Get to Know the Hoosiers Competing in the 2025 World Food Championships

From self-taught to French-trained, these contestants all bring something different to the table.

Since 2010, the World Food Championships has brought together chefs from more than 50 countries worldwide for a four-day premier food sport competition. Last year, the WFC came to Indianapolis for its three day competition, and it seems they’re here to stay. For the 2025 competition, guests can see the action and sample dishes from October 16th through 19th at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

Contestants earn their spot by obtaining a Golden Ticket, which can be earned by winning various food competitions around the globe. The competition features ten categories: bacon, barbecue, burger, chef, dessert, live fire, rice, sandwich, seafood, and vegetarian.

Locally, roughly 20 teams of Hoosiers will compete in the World Food Championships. Get to know a few of the chefs vying for the World Food Champion title. 

Cindy Hawkins, Owner of Circle City Sweets

Hawkins has owned Circle City Sweets, a premier shop for French-style pastries and breads, since 2006. She’s best known for her buttery, homemade croissants, but also serves up breads, cookies, and French macarons. She first competed in the World Food Championships in 2015 after winning an online recipe contest. This year, she’s competing in the dessert category. 

Craig Baker, Executive Chef at Hotel InterContinental

Baker has more than 30 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, during which he opened three hotels and 44 restaurants. He’s been involved with World Food Championships since 2012, and first qualified after winning a burger competition at Family Leisure, for which his son served as his sous chef. Since then, he’s competed in 11 different categories of the World Food Championships. This year he’ll compete in the live fire category. 

Michael Gomez, Owner of Gomez BBQ Catering and Events 

Gomez is best known for his craft barbecue, which draws inspiration from Venezuelan culinary influences. He’s also known for his smoked meats, raw bar items, and preference to source local ingredients. Michael has competed in the World Food Championships three times now. This year, he qualified via the April Fools Mystery Box Competition with the Ivy Tech Culinary Program and will compete in the live fire category. 

Brady Foster Sr., Chef and Owner of Foster’s Café and Catering

Foster is a native of Gary, Indiana, and graduated from the Ivy Tech Culinary Arts Program in 2017. His time in the program allowed him to study abroad in France and Germany. In March 2020, he opened his own restaurant, Foster’s Café and Catering. His dishes draw inspiration and flavors from African cuisine, including the Caribbean, Ghana, and Nigeria, but with an American twist that’s “mixed in a way that it’s familiar.” Brady will compete in the sandwich category at World Food Championships, and his son, AJ, will be his sous chef.

Jennifer Norem, Home Chef 

Norem first got involved with food photography contests in 2016. In 2018, she came across the World Food Championships and qualified that same year. Jennifer has no professional training and is a completely self-taught chef. Prior to food photography, she worked in fast-food restaurants in her teenage years, which is where she discovered she loved making food look good on a plate. While raising her family, she found joy in exploring new food concepts and creations for picky eaters. This year, she’s competing under the bacon category. 

Collin Hilton, Chef de Cuisine for Cunningham Restaurant Group 

Hilton describes his cooking style as seasonal and vegetable-forward. Last year was his first year competing in the championships, and he entered in the pasta category. In the end, he won the entire competition. His final round dish was spring pea cappellacci in chicken broth with recado negro, sugar snap pea, and cashew salsa macha with meyer lemon. This year he’ll compete in the vegetarian category.

For more information on the 2025 World Food Championships, including a full list of competitors and ticket information, visit worldfoodchampionships.com