Two Indiana cooks left the 2026 World Food Championships with category titles on Sunday night, Oct. 18, at the Indiana State Fairgrounds' Fall Creek Pavilion.
Craig Baker of Indianapolis, executive chef at the InterContinental hotel and Team Indiana's vice president, took first place in the chef category — a division he also won in 2017. Jordan Davis of Carmel, founder of the Smoking Pastor Project, won the barbecue category, earning a perfect judges' score of 100 on two of his five entries.
Team Indiana placed finalists in seven of the event's 10 categories, with six top-three finishes. Other Hoosier results included Cindy Hawkins of Circle City Sweets, second in dessert; Dean Sample of Bonge's Tavern, second in bacon; and Collin Hilton, second in vegetarian.
The four-day championship drew more than 1,000 participants from more than a dozen countries across its 10 categories. Baker and Davis are among the 10 category champions who advance to the Final Table in spring 2027, where one will be named World Food Champion.
The World Food Championships will return to Indianapolis in fall 2027.
