The State Fair of Texas is known as the fried food capital of the world, but that’s just scratching the surface of the variety of foods we celebrate. Each year, creative home cooks from near and far gather at the Fair to put their cooking skills to the test in a variety of cooking competitions. In 2021, 210 crafty fairgoers participated in 13 cooking competitions that took place during the 24 day run of the Fair. From deviled eggs to chocolate cake and everything in between, these home chefs wowed the judges with some mouthwatering entrees. While they were all delicious, only one in each category took home the coveted first place blue ribbon. Without further ado, here are those ribbon-winning and best of show participants for 2021!
Cake – Best of Show
Sarah Durdin
Chocolate
From left to right: Robert Crook, Sara Smith, Judy Spencer-Creed, Kate Rovner (Best of Show), Suzanne Damon, Jill Baker, and Janice Lohrs.
Speedy Dishes
From left to right: Robert Baker, Tiffany Dunkin, Lynda Sanders, Sally Muhl (Best of Show), Anna Johnson, Renee English, and Kate Rovner.
Texas Pecan Challenge
From left to right: Sally Muhl (Best of Show), Lindsey McDaniel, Paige Hoyt, and Judith Faulkner.
Farm to Fork
From left to right: Nick Sanders, Judy Spencer-Creed, Robert Crook, Karen Hamelwright, Helen Fields (Best of Show), Jill Spears, and Donna-Maria Sexton.
Bread
From left to right, top row: Samuel Mortimer, Ramirah Davis, Diana Prause, Sam Finn, Juliana Black, Daniela Estrada, and Anna Johnson.
From left to right, front row: Paula Joy Kindred, Anna Jones (Best of Show), Nick Sanders, and Christine Safieddine.
Pie
From left to right: Paige Hoyt, Brenda Simpson, Donna-Maria Sexton, Judy Spencer-Creed (Best of Show), Cyndy Groves, Anna Jones, and Vicki Scott.
Cookies
Left to right: Lilly Daves, Kate Rovner, Sue Rainey (Best of Show), Karen Woo, and Allison Caddel.
Tex-Mex
From left to right: Melvin McKnight, Brenda Simpson, Eileen Davis (Best of Show), Helen Fields, Janice Fields, and Jade Tunstall.
Cooking with Cheese
Left to right: Sue Rainey, Walter Lamb, Sam Finn, Jadi Oliver (Best of Show), Janice Lohrs, Sara Smith
Youth Cooking Contest – Junior Category
Left to right: Dakota Danley, Serene Zimmerman, Abigail Solsbery, Lillian Robishaw (Best of Show), Karson Kuykendall, and Ashlyn Ault.
Youth Cooking Contest – Child Category
From left to right: Jacob Lucci, Olivia Bosquez, Calvin Burress (Best of Show), McCartney Hinz, Clare Palmer, and Christopher Pockett.
Candy
From left to right: Sally Muhl, Dianne Ragain, Brenda Simpson, Renee English, Peggy Garmon, Sue Rainey (Best of Show), Candice Haun, Janice Lohrs, Hope Rovner, and Meredith Watson.
Best Competitor Award
From left to right: Sally Muhl (3rd), Judy Spencer-Creed (1st), Kate Rovner (2nd).
Congratulations to all who entered! We’re eagerly awaiting to see what you’ll come up with for the 2022 cooking competitions.