We're excited to see the field of competitors who have already won their golden ticket and registered to compete at the 2024 World Food Championships. And we are always proud to announce our special guests and celebrity judges participating in our judging events across the nation - we're sure the championship food certainly helps! Best of luck to our 2024 competitors!
COMPETITOR
The Fat Pastor
HEAD COOK: Shawn Niles
COMPETITION: World Recipe Championship
The Fat Pastor, Shawn Niles, is the executive chef and founder of The Fat Pastor, a culinary collaborative in Yakima, Washington. The Fat Pastor is comprised of the nation's first legal underground dining club, Bite Club, which has also partnered with the World Food Championships. Urban Kitchen is our free business and culinary school for at-risk students, we provide high end catering and restaurant consulting, and are in the process of filming a television show, highlighting the Yakima Valley. Fat Pastor has owned incredibly successful restaurants in the past, but determined to focus on private dining experiences, and filming for television. Shawn is passionate about social transformation and philanthropy. He was featured as one of the top 40 chefs in America on MasterChef, where Gordon Ramsay declared that he was born to cook. He also was on the first season of "Best Leftovers Ever" on Netlflix. His 9 year old son and teammate Asher placed 4th on MasterChef Junior in 2024, where Gordon Ramsay called him a "Genius in the Kitchen."