Ten noted Southern chefs will lock horns on June 1 inside Liberty Hall at the Factory at Franklin as part of the second annual Great Slider Showdown. A celebrity panel of judges will select a winner after tasting each chef’s version of a classic slider, basically anything served on a small bun. The winning chef will take home $3000 cash, a new Golden's Cast Iron Cooker and automatic entry into the 2019 World Chef Challenge as part of the World Food Championships in Dallas. The competitors represent a wide range of geographic diversity from BJ Lofback of Funk Seoul Brother who will travel literally steps from his restaurant in The Factory to AuCo Lai of Amity Foodworks and Whiskey Dry’s James who will venture down from Kentucky to compete. Lofback recently appeared on the “Today in Nashville” midday show on Nashville’s NBC affiliate where he demonstrated the Korean Fried Chicken Slider he plans to offer the judges and also talked a little smack about his competition.
Defending co-champions John Henry Williams V of Fred’s Meat and Bread in Atlanta and Matthew Statham from Saw’s Soul Kitchen in Birmingham will return for the chance cook to retain their crown this year. The competition should be fierce!
Patrons tickets are available at two levels with the standard ticket offering the chance to sample up to six sliders to see if they agree with the judges, while VIP-level ticket holders can try all ten examples. All attendees will receive complimentary Mountain Valley Spring Water and Cheerwine to wash those sliders down with, and VIP guests will also receive two drink tickets for cocktails from Eli Mason or craft beer from Flat Hat. The Great Slider Showdown benefits GraceWorks, Williamson County’s non profit community resource center. Children 12 and younger will be admitted free with a paying adult, so buy your tickets ASAP at the event website.
