NCRLA Chef Showdown

Read all about it! Food & Travel writer, and our NCRLA Chef Showdown executive producer, Heidi Billotto shares her recap on the 2025 NCRLA Chef Showdown Grand Finale...

The 2025 NCRLA Chef Showdown: It's A Wrap! • Heidi Billotto Food | Charlotte NC Food & Travel writer, Heidi Billotto, executive producer of the NCRLA Chef Showdown shares her recap of the event's 2025 Grand Finale

Thanks to our longtime supporters and sponsors at the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services - they have been with us since the very beginning - for sharing this good news and final results of the 2025 NCRLA Chef Showdown grand finale!!

In case you missed it...the winners of the 2025 NCRLA Chef Showdown have been announced! 👨‍🍳🎉

NCRLA Chef of the Year: Mauricio Huarcaya with Gustu Peruano in Wilmington
NCRLA Pastry Chef of the Year: Luis Rojas with the Charlotte Marriott City Center in Charlotte
NCRLA Mixologist of the Year: Sarah McCabe with the Longleaf Hotel in Raleigh

Learn more about all of the winners from this year's competition in the article below!

Full story: https://www.ncrla.org/2025/north-carolina-restaurant-and-lodging-associations-chef-showdown-winners-announced/

NCRLA Chef Showdown Grand Finale Finalists in the news... Check out this great profile piece on Mixologist Sean Teague in Charlotte. In this years competition, Sean partnered with Southern Artisan Spirits Cardinal Gin.
Thanks for the coverage Unpretentious Palate

Behind the Stick: Sean Teague, Folia Charlotte native focuses on the science and flexibility of mixology

THIS JUST IN FROM END OF DAYS DISTILLERY • Wilmington NC

’s award-winning drinks are available for you to try at The Lounge until we run out!
Chaos Theory and Clari-Tea won Peoples’ Choice Award Best Cocktail and Mocktail at the along with the Undeniably Dairy Award Best Cocktail and Mocktail!

Come visit the distillery and cheer on the champ! These drinks will only be available for a very limited time. Open from 11am to 9pm. Also is cooking her menu, Sap Lai, in the all week/end long!