The State Fair of Texas has upped the ante for its food vendors this year, with an overhauled judging system for its annual Big Tex Choice Awards. Houston Chronicle reports that a record 65 entries were initially submitted to the competition by more than 40 different concessionaires. This time around, entries had to pass through a pioneering, strict preliminary round before even reaching the semifinalist stage.
According to Houston Chronicle, the new selection process had non-celebrity judges narrow down these entries to 24 semifinalists, and, eventually 10 finalists. These dishes made the cut for scrutiny by the panel of celebrity judges on Aug. 22. Taylor Pulfer, State Fair of Texas communications director, expressed satisfaction with the revised format, saying, “With ample planning we were able to execute the new process seamlessly for 2024. Our team felt that by having each entry item tasted, prior to selecting the semifinalists, that we could evaluate the taste from the start of the competition and ultimately provide a more fair and equitable competition to our concessionaires.”
The winners have now been crowned in the 20th annual Big Tex Choice competition. Taking home the prize for 'Best Taste - Savory' was the Dominican Fritura Dog by Justin Martinez, a dish that promised a taste of the Caribbean through its fusion of queso frito, salami frito, and a seasoned corn dog batter. The 'Best Taste - Sweet' was won by Isaac Rousso’s Cotton Candy Bacon on a Stick, where sweet meets salty in a cotton candy-glazed, foot-long strip of bacon. ‘Most Creative’ went to Heather Perkins for the Texas Sugar Rush Pickles, a bold combination of cotton candy-flavored pickle slices, assorted breakfast cereals, and a topping of vanilla ice cream.
Each concoction showcased not only the culinary diversity but also the inventive spirit of the state fair's food vendors. Justin Martinez, who has already won the Big Tex Choice Award four times, dedicated his dish to his late father. “My dad started out here in 1977 at the State Fair of Texas, born and raised in this environment. I wanted to do this one for him," Martinez told NBCDFW. Meanwhile, Heather Perkins drew on nostalgia, saying, "I just thought of my childhood memories," in a statement obtained by NBCDFW.
The State Fair of Texas invites visitors to experience these innovative food creations from Sept. 27 to Oct. 20.
