Battle of the Chefs MKE will mark its 10th year with an All-Starr Edition on Sunday, October 11, at Prairie Springs on Park. The event runs from 3 to 7 p.m. and combines four tasting competitions with a live cooking segment, fundraising and a judging panel that includes Milwaukee-area and visiting culinary figures.
Battle of the Chefs MKE was founded in 2016 as a friendly competition featuring chefs from across the Milwaukee area, according to Samantha Starr Events. The event celebrates food, creativity, culture and community in Milwaukee, according to OnMilwaukee. This year's competition has four categories: appetizer, entree, dessert and mixology.
The appetizer competitors are Deborah Spriggs, Ashley Reams of Everybody Eats and Nadia Santaniello Bucholtz of Nadi Plates. The entree field includes Lupe Moreno of Cocina Filipina, Joe Muench of Black Shoe Hospitality and Thi Cao of Wild Roots, while Priscilla Ferra of Cilla's Swirls, Xenia Smith of The Eleanor Room and Chao Yang of Qtie Bakes Cakery will compete in dessert. In mixology, Austin Dreikosen of Milwaukee Cheese Bar, James Gilder of Brownstone Social Lounge and Tae Avery of Tropic are scheduled to compete, according to OnMilwaukee's report.
How the Competition Has Evolved
The event's 2025 edition, themed “Fast Food Reimagined,” took place at the Milwaukee Athletic Club, according to Ticket Falcon.
The 2026 program will also feature a live cooking segment with graduates of the Teens Grow Greens culinary internship program, according to OnMilwaukee's reporting. Teens Grow Greens was founded in 2014 by former educator Charlie Uihlein, beginning with a nine-month paid internship and later expanding to apprenticeships, according to Teens Grow Greens. The program now operates out of Weber's Greenhouse.
Samantha Starr Events also shares event information on Facebook, according to a Samantha Starr Events Facebook post.
This Year's Auction Benefits Alice's Garden
This year's fundraising will benefit Alice's Garden Urban Farm, according to OnMilwaukee. Alice's Garden is a 53-year-old community garden in Milwaukee's Lindsay Heights neighborhood whose Healthy Moms, Healthy Kids initiative provides holistic lifestyle, cooking and gardening workshops for local families, notes Historic Milwaukee. The farm serves more than 85 families across 100 rental plots, connecting nutrition, urban agriculture and wellness programming.
From Competition to Community Pathways
Over its decade, Battle of the Chefs MKE has moved among different themes and venues while retaining its culinary competition format: the 2025 event at the Milwaukee Athletic Club used the theme “Fast Food Reimagined,” while the 2026 edition at Prairie Springs on Park adds a mixology category, a youth cooking segment and fundraising for Alice's Garden. Samantha Starr Events says the competition began in 2016 as a showcase for chefs from across the Milwaukee area. The youth segment connects the event to a longer-term training pipeline. Teens Grow Greens says graduates of its internships can pursue one of four paid, career-focused apprenticeship tracks. Alice's Garden Urban Farm says its work combines regenerative farming, community cultural development and economic agricultural enterprises, providing broader context for its role as this year's beneficiary.
This year's event includes fundraising, per OnMilwaukee. The event's presenting sponsor is the Brewers Community Foundation.
Judges Bring National and Local Credentials
This year's judging panel blends celebrity credentials with deep local roots. Visiting judge Lamar Moore is a Chicago-based chef and owner of Moore Please Hospitality, according to Seven Acre Dairy Company.
Local judge David Magnasco will also weigh in, per OnMilwaukee, drawing on his experience with The Chef's Table. Rounding out the panel are Lori Fredrich, who is associated with OnMilwaukee; Kristin Pierce, who is associated with PierceWorks; and Shary Tran, co-founder of ElevAsian.
Tran is a co-founder of ElevAsian. Carrie Noni will serve as emcee for the evening, per OnMilwaukee's reporting.
Tickets and Event Details
Ticket information is available for the main tasting event, according to OnMilwaukee. Cocktail attire is encouraged. VIP tickets were being purchased quickly, while the VIP experience included a wine tasting and grazing, per the outlet.
Prairie Springs on Park, the Milwaukee venue hosting this year's competition, will host the competition this fall.
