Trip Report: WFC Vegas '12, Meeting Adam Richman

By Dru Chai

The World Food Championships wrapped up in Las Vegas about a couple of months ago, but the memories are still fresh. Not only did I get to judge some of the best BBQ in the county, but I also got the chance to meet and chat with Adam Richman. Overall, I thought that the event was a success -- not quite the rousing success that the promoters had anticipated, but I think it's something that they can build upon for next year.

I was fortunate to be able to judge two days worth of BBQ, as well as the first round of the sandwich competition. The BBQ was some of the best I've had in my short tenure as KCBS certified judge. I gave some of the highest scores for both ribs and brisket, while the pulled pork deserved some moderate-to-high scores. Because of some promotional restrictions, there was no chicken in this competition. Instead, it was sauce. I'm just not a big fan of judging BBQ sauce.

During one of the judging days, Adam Richman dropped by to sample some of the pulled pork. Many of the judges simply stopped and started taking pictures, including myself. Hey, when one of the more popular food celebrities walks over, you have to take notice, right?

During one of the days, I was lucky enough to be able to win free admission to the VIP burger event, which took place right in front of Bally's. This event was heavily promoted, mostly because Adam was going to be there in person, but the high price of admission ($175, I believe) deterred many people from attending. The few burgers that I sampled were great in concept, but unfortunately were lukewarm to cold at night. Burgers are at their best hot and fresh off the grill.

Of course, the highlight of the evening was meeting Adam. My conversation with him was brief, so I just asked him what some of his favorite BBQ restaurants were -- a very open-ended question. He proceeded to rattle off about a dozen BBQ places off the top of his head, many of which I recognized from his show Man vs. Food on the Travel Channel. He mentioned the Salt Lick in Austin and Rendezvous in Memphis. He even talked about Phil's BBQ in San Diego, one of my favorite BBQ restaurants in Southern California.

All in all, the World Food Championships was well organized with plenty of star power in the food industry. I saw Dr. BBQ, Chef Tim Love, Chef Eric Greenspan, and even the winningest man in BBQ himself -- Myron Mixon. If they can gather even more celebrities to help draw more people to the event, it would definitely raise the profile for this food competition a couple more notches. Who knows, they should even start judging and competing international food dishes, instead of just American food. 'Til next year!

Judging the World Food Championships in Vegas

By Dru Chai

Going to Vegas as a kid, the only thing I looked forward to was playing carnival games and eating buffet at the Circus Circus. I knew that eating at the buffet was my one and only opportunity to go full Fat Albert without my mother chastising me to eat more greens. I went all out, picking up all the fried and fatty, American fare like burgers, sandwiches and BBQ -- food that wouldn't normally be anywhere near my standard Chinese home-cooked meals of rice and vegetables.

So it's only fitting that I return to Sin City about a couple decades later to check out the World Food Championships (WFC) from Nov 1-4. Hosted by Adam Richman, it's tauted as the biggest and baddest food competition in the world. (Here's a great interview by LA Weekly). Vegas is a great destination to host this event, as the city has grown into a culinary powerhouse over the last several years. Buffets are fancier and bigger than ever, celebrity chefs are all over the place, and "foodies" have flocked to the city in search of hidden gems in Chinatown.

One thing's for sure, America will still and always love their comfort food. The WFC won't be judging fancy food here -- it's all about the burgers, sandwiches, chili, side dishes, and BBQ. With bragging rights and more than $300,000 at stake, who will elevate their dishes to the next level without compromising its true integrity? Hundreds of chefs and food lovers, including myself, will be judging. I'm slated to judge the first round of the sandwich competition, while judging all of the BBQ (pork, sauce, ribs, and brisket). One thing's for sure, I'm arriving on an empty stomach!