Indiana Pork serves up awards for best pork dishes

INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis chef Collin Hilton, chef de cuisine at Cunningham Restaurant Group, took home the top award at this year’s Taste of Elegance on Feb. 4 at the Indiana Roof Ballroom in Indianapolis.

Hilton’s dish featured a buckwheat dumpling stuffed with braised pork, anchovy and charred cabbage and was served with a bacon fat chili crisp.

He was presented with a check for $1,000 from Indiana Pork and an automatic entry into the 2025 World Food Championships.

“Chef Hilton is no stranger to food competitions,” said Jeanette Merritt, director of communications of Indiana Pork.

“Chef has a great understanding of how to make pork taste delicious and design a plate that is appealing to the judges. His dish was an outstanding example of well-prepared pork.”

Other winning chefs include:

• Superior Chef Award — Second place: Marcus Daniel.

• Premium Chef Award — Third place: Dave White.

• Wine Pairing Award: Daniel Kiener.

• People’s Choice Award — Favorite entrée: Cole Padgett.

• People’s Choice Award — Favorite display: Cole Padgett.

• People’s Choice Award — Favorite wine: Acres Away Winery.

The 2025 Indiana Taste of Elegance featured some of the state’s top chefs, including:

• Chef Michael Gomez, Gomez Catering and Events, Indianapolis.

• Chef Darrelle Soper, executive chef, Holy Family Shelter, Indianapolis.

• Chef Chefski Laskowski, personal chef, Fishers.

• Chef Ross Katz, RHB Enterprises, Indianapolis.

• Chef Dave White, Great White Smoke, Solsberry.

• Chef Scott Cramer, Crystal Signature Events at Indiana Roof Ballroom, Indianapolis.

• Chef Ian Stricklin, Stricklin Catering and Productions, Indianapolis.

• Chef Steven Amore, personal chef, Indianapolis.

• Chef Collin Hilton, Cunningham Restaurant Group, Indianapolis.

• Chef Marcus Daniel, Bridgeport, Fort Wayne.

• Chef Cole Padgett, Taxman Brewing, Fortville.

• Chef Alex Robertson, private chef, Fort Wayne.

• Chef Daniel Keiner, The Hulman at Hotel Indy, Indianapolis.