Sharpen Your Knives: It's the Final Round of Northern California's Battle of the Blades

Core Viewpoint - Sysco Corporation is hosting a live cooking contest to determine the Culinary Artist of the Year in Northern California, showcasing the talents of three finalists [1][2]. Event Details - The grand finale of the "Battle of the Blades" will take place on March 16, 2026, at 3 p.m. PT at the Ecolab Theatre, Culinary Institute of America at Copia, Napa, CA [2]. - The competition will feature three chefs: Dean Hiatt from Sacramento, Jon-Luc Maggi from San Francisco, and Robert Root from Central California, each accompanied by a sous chef [2]. Competition Format - The chefs will compete in a 45-minute challenge using three products from the Sysco Pantry and three mystery ingredients, with a five-judge panel evaluating based on visual appeal, creativity, execution, ingredient use, and taste [2]. Finalists Background - Chef Dean Hiatt has over 10 years of experience at Poor Red's Bar-B-Q and is a well-decorated chef in Northern California and Nevada [5]. - Chef Jon-Luc Maggi, with a background in the 82nd Airborne Division, has spent the last decade blending diverse culinary influences at Tiki Tom's [7]. - Chef Robert Root has over 30 years of experience and draws inspiration from the local community and environment [9]. Judges Panel - The judging panel includes Steve Buer (Sysco region president), Robert Herrera (co-founder of Miro Foods), Neil Doherty (corporate chef at Sysco), Bobby Jaklitsch (vice president at Sales Cake POS), and Chef Abigail Serbins (reality food show competitor) [10]. Company Overview - Sysco is the global leader in foodservice distribution, generating over $78 billion in sales for the fiscal year 2024, with operations in over 10 countries and 340 distribution centers [10][11].