Culinary Challenge

Celebrating 25 years of collegiate culinary excellence

For 25 years, the NACUFS Culinary Challenge has showcased the talent, creativity and professionalism of collegiate dining chefs. The milestone competition in 2027 will celebrate not only the accomplishments of its competitors, but also the innovation and progress that have transformed collegiate dining over the past quarter-century.

Competitors first put their skills to the test in live regional competitions. Each regional winner advances to the NACUFS National Conference, where finalists compete before a live audience and demonstrate the organization, technique, cooking skills, taste and presentation required to succeed at the highest level.

The 2027 challenge

For the 2027 competition, chefs must create an original recipe featuring one whole duck as the mandatory protein. The duck must be prepared two ways using two cuts from the carcass. Competitors must also incorporate wheat berries and a citrus fruit of their choice.

Each chef will prepare four plates for the judges. Entries will be evaluated on a 100-point scale based on organization, culinary technique, cooking skills and taste.

National recognition

The national winner will receive an award and cash prize during the NACUFS National Conference and will be featured in Campus Dining Today, the official magazine of NACUFS. Competitors may also earn a medal from the American Culinary Federation based on their performance.