ITCC Prepares For The Center Stage Of National “Food Sports Competition”

The World Food Championship’s Final Table Indy event will be held August 7-9.

(Indianapolis, Ind.) – Ivy Tech Community College is preparing to host the World Food Championship’s (WFC) Final Table Indy event August 7-9 at its Culinary and Conference Center, located on its downtown Indianapolis campus. During this event, 10 category champions from across the country will compete to earn the title of “World Food Champion” and $100,000 prize in the College’s world-class facilities.

Final Table is the most high-stakes competition in food sports and this event will be filmed by the Cooking Channel for a reality TV show that will broadcast in late September.

The event comprises three rounds of competition, eliminating five contestants in round one and two more in round two. The third and final round will be closed to the public to keep the winner in confidence until the reality show airs this fall.  

Final Table Indy, initially scheduled for May, was moved due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the direction of state leaders, Ivy Tech and the event’s planning committee are focused on ensuring appropriate social distancing and safety measures for guests and finalists.  

“Hosting the Final Table in Indianapolis has provided us such a great opportunity to partner with leaders from Visit Indy, Sysco Corporation and Team Indiana,” said Ivy Tech President Sue Ellspermann. “Our goal not only for Final Table Indy, but also for future events and other activities, is to shine a bright light on the people, products, services and places that define Indiana’s culinary landscape and truly makes Indiana the Culinary Crossroads of America.”

Chef Jeff Bricker, Ivy Tech Central Indiana Hospitality Administration program chair and a Final Table Indy judge, is looking forward to this event coming to Indianapolis.

“We’re elated the World Food Championships is bringing their premier event and some of the world’s top culinarians to Ivy Tech to use our kitchens and spaces,” he said. “Final Table Indy will also offer our students a unique opportunity to work alongside some of the best in the industry.”

Ivy Tech’s involvement in Final Table was critical to Team Indiana’s approach for securing the event.

“We believed a package that included Indy’s culinary hotspot reputation, access to Ivy Tech’s state-of-the-art facilities and Indiana’s role as a global provider of world-class food products and services would make for a compelling pitch,” said Larry Dickerson, spokesperson for Team Indiana and Culinary Crossroads. “Fortunately, WFC leaders shared our belief and here we are now at center stage.”

Ivy Tech’s Hospitality Administration program is the only American Culinary Federation accredited culinary program in Indiana. It offers the same hands-on learning as other culinary schools in the region at a quarter of the cost, allowing those eager for a culinary career to get the experience employers are looking for with little to no debt.

For the latest Final Table Indy news, visit finaltable.worldfoodchampionships.com and follow the World Food Championships on Twitter (@WorldFoodChamp), Facebook or Instagram (@WorldFoodChampionships).

To learn more about Ivy Tech’s culinary options, including reservations for its student-run restaurant, visit IvyTech.edu/hospitality.