Chef Showdown 2026 - Loaves & Fishes

Purchase your tickets here!

The Loaves & Fishes Chef Showdown is back—and it’s shaping up to be another electrifying culinary experience.

Join us as executive chefs from two beloved local restaurants go head-to-head in a thrilling (and delicious) battle. Using ingredients sourced from the Loaves & Fishes market, each chef will craft a three-course menu judged by a distinguished panel of community leaders to crown the winner.

This year’s competition will showcase executive chefs from local restaurants, Vistro Prime of Hinsdale and Hugo’s Frog Bar & Fish House of Naperville.

Best of all, this unforgettable evening raises critical funds to support families facing hunger in our community.

The competing chefs will be assisted by celebrity sous chefs and Loaves & Fishes supporters, Jacque Clermont, Director of Community Relations at Naperville Community Unit School District 203; Casey Cuevas, City of Aurora Deputy Mayor; Jorge Ibarra, Market President at BMO U.S.; and Chris Phalon, Financial Advisor at Edward Jones.

This year’s Master of Ceremonies will be Loaves & Fishes board member and a 2025 winning sous chef, Karen Wells, COO of Make a Wish Foundation.

Dishes will be voted upon by a panel of judges, including Julie Christman, President and CEO of the Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley, Paula Deacon Garcia, DuPage County Board Member, and Yvette Saba, President of Endeavor Health Edward Hospital and System Executive for the Endeavor Health Cardiovascular Institute.

Looking for a VIP Experience?

Want to get close to the action? Book the “Feel the Heat” Seats!
“Feel the Heat” seats allow guests to be close to the action by providing a front row seat to the competition! Sold in tables of four, guests with “Feel the Heat” seats will be able to enjoy their choice of a premium bottle of red or white wine while witnessing the creativity of the chef teams.
SOLD OUT- except through sponsorship opportunity.

In contrast, the “Chill Out Chairs” give guests the opportunity to kick back and relax at a comfortable reserved table that is situated away from the “heat” of the kitchen! Also sold in tables of four, “Chill Out Chairs” provide a casual environment to engage in tasty food, premier chilled champagne, and conversation.

Both the “Feel the Heat” seats and “Chill Out Chairs” have limited availability, so be sure to act fast to secure these exciting tables!

Tickets start at $125 and can be purchased here.
This event sells out quickly, so buying your tickets now is highly advisable.
Throughout the evening, guests will enjoy delicious food catered by event partner My Chef Catering. There will be a moment to raise the paddle to support families in need in our community.