Indianapolis chef Collin Hilton wins overall World Food Championships prize

Collin Hilton

After winning the noodle category during last fall’s World Food Championships at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, Indianapolis-based chef Collin Hilton outperformed 11 fellow category winners to take top honors Sunday at the “Final Table” champions contest in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Hilton, corporate chef de cuisine for Cunningham Restaurant Group, won $150,000 and the title of 2025 World Food Champion. Hilton won $10,000 by claiming the noodle victory in November.

Indianapolis hosted the World Food Championships, billed as the “world’s largest food sport competition,” for the first time in 2024. The event is scheduled to return to the Indiana State Fairgrounds Oct. 16-19.

The “Final Table” battle among category winners traditionally happens a few months after the World Food Championships. In 2020, the culinary and conference center at Ivy Tech Community College hosted the WFC’s “Final Table” competition.

To win the noodle category in November, Hilton prepared cappelletti pasta made with buckwheat and achiote, stuffed with honey and parmesan cream and served with a chicken meatball and complemented by brown butter and koginut squash puree.

In his role as corporate chef de cuisine, Hilton oversees menu development, mentors chefs and works on new restaurant concepts for Cunningham Restaurant Group—owner of concepts such as Vida, Livery and Bru Burger Bar.

In Arkansas, the category winners competed in three challenges on Saturday and Sunday:

• Retail gourmet: Chefs were challenged to create a savory entree showcasing ingredients they selected at a Sam’s Club location.
• Taste and recreate: Chefs were challenged to sample an entree made by Soerke Peters, owner of Mezzaluna Pasteria & Mozzarella Bar in Bentonville, and then replicate the dish.
• My culinary journey: Chefs were challenged to prepare a dish that conveyed personal aspects related to their work in the kitchen.