The World Food Championships is being held in Alabama next week and a truck driver from Lethbridge is vying for the top prize in a category that was made for Canadians.
Curtis Christianson, 36, is a truck driver by trade but he loves to cook and often trades in his ball cap for a chef’s hat when he’s out on the road.
“I just love food. I love trying different flavours, making a basic dish and turning it into a fantastic, elegant meal. I can take macaroni and cheese and hot dogs and make it look like a five-star dish and taste like a five-star dish. It’s my passion,” said Christianson.
His nickname is ‘The Bacon Man’, which is fitting as he is heading down to the U.S. to represent team Canada in the bacon category.
He will be up against 50 of the world's best culinary artists for the title of ‘Bacon World Champion’ and the winner will then move on to the Final Table and a chance to win the World Food Championships.
“I did win first place in the preliminary rounds in Edmonton so I’m going to probably enter that recipe. It’s a fantastic recipe, obviously it revolves around bacon and then we have to do what’s called a structured dish so everybody in my category has to make the same thing,” he said. “We have to do a twist on cornbread, make something different, I’m not going to serve a slab of cornbread so I have a good recipe that we’ve been working on.”
“I'm looking forward to it. One, because I get to be there with him. Win or lose it's a great experience and I know we’re both going to take a lot away from it,” said his fiancée, Lisa Hansen.
Christianson works long days as a truck driver so he doesn’t get a lot of time to practice. He likes to experiment with recipes while he’s out on the road and says all it takes is a little creativity.
“I do carry a hot plate with me and a pot and a pan,” he said. “I’ve made steak dinners in the truck and I've made nice meals in the truck and it is possible,” said Christianson.
The winner of the bacon category will walk away with a cheque for $10,000 and the overall winner will win $300,000.
Christianson says win or lose, he’s just happy to be taking part.
“I'm really excited. I feel very blessed that I have the opportunity to compete. This is my fourth ever competition and I’m in the World Food Championships,” he said. “Everybody that I'm going up against at the worlds has won their way there. They’re all champions, so I’m really, really excited, I’m very nervous, it's an amazing opportunity."
The competition runs from November 9th to 13th in Orange Beach, Alabama.
A GoFundMe campaign has been established to help Christianson cover his expenses and he is also looking for sponsors.
For more information on the World Food Championships, click HERE.
