2026 BATTLE OF THE CHEFS
RUNNING DIARY
Battle of the Chefs is one of the most unique—and delicious—Omaha chef events you’ll ever attend.
Never mind just Omaha, actually. There’s nothing like this in the Midwest.
In 2024, local farm Long Walk Farm built a gorgeous shaded patio alongside two cooking stations, grills, and a giant pizza oven. And each year, it creates a bracket-style competition of some of Omaha’s best chefs. Each week, the chefs are given a couple mandatory ingredients and are tasked with creating an appetizer and an entree. The guests, who can watch the chefs cook and interact with them, taste both dishes and vote on their favorite, who then advances to the next round in the bracket.
All in all, the guests get 7 courses of delicious food: in addition to the 4 plates from Omaha’s chefs, there’s a grazing appetizer board, a salad course, and a dessert produced by a local baker. The food is always fantastic, and it’s a joy to see how creative and resourceful the chefs are. But what’s just as special is watching complete strangers bond over their shared love of food at the long, shaded tables.
Long story short: Battle of the Chefs is a foodie paradise. This blog will be a running diary of each competition, detailing the epic battles of Omaha’s best chefs.
BATTLE 2 (May 31)
Djamil Bah Traore (House of Bah) vs. Abe Vidaurre (Cattle Call)
Mandatory Ingredients: Shrimp, garlic scapes, kohlrabi
Victor: House of Bah
COURSE 1
House of Bah: Kohlrabi Salad w/ apple, smoked shrimp, and orange kohlrabi glaze
- A salad might be simple, but don’t be fooled; this bed of leaves was bursting with flavor. That was due to the smoky, Cajun flavors on the shrimp, the citrus of the orange kohlrabi glaze, and the cuts of apple that added a crisp freshness.
Semo: Carrot Tartine
- One of the best versions of fancy toast I’ve ever had. A chewy, oily slice of house focaccia was slathered with a delicious pesto and topped with sauteed carrots and garlic scapes, then finished with crushed fried chickpeas.
COURSE 2
House of Bah: Shrimp Gumbo
- The stew was rich, savory, and earthy, as the thick gravy adhered dutifully to the rice. Potatoes, okra, and kohlrabi added some vegetal freshness, and the shrimp, while a touch overcooked, combined with the smoky ham to round out a very nice dish.
Semo: Shrimp & Grits
- The shrimp were cooked to a perfectly bouncy consistency and coated with an addicting Cajun seasoning. They sat atop a bed of creamy, buttery grits, and the sauteed garlic scapes added a bit of pleasant bite.
DESSERT
Long Walk Farm’s chef is Seth Jonas, who crafts the delectable grazing board and inventive salad course each week. He’s a very talented savory chef, and this week, he wanted to test his hand in the dessert world.
Consider it a success.
The pavlova was well-formed and had three distinct levels: a crispy exterior shell, a chewy mid-layer , and an airy, marshmallow-soft center, and the chocolate chips added sweetness and texture. The strawberry whip lended a sweet, creamy element, and the macerated strawberries rounded everything out with a fantastic sugary finish.
BATTLE 1 (May 17)
Andrew Novak (All In Thyme Bakery & Cafe) vs. Drew Statz (Semo Pasta + Wine)
Mandatory Ingredients: Teres major, beef tongue, asparagus, spring onion
Victor: All In Thyme Bakery & Cafe
COURSE 1
All In Thyme: Lengua Street Taco w/ charred onion salsa & pickled radish
- The beef tongue was cooked down brilliantly, leading to a tender, savory filling, and the homemade tortilla (with Miller Dohrmann Farm masa) was on par with what you’ll get at Omaha’s finest taquerias. A sauce or crema would’ve added a little moisture to really take it over the top.
Semo: Beef Tongue Pastrami on Rye w/ spring onion aioli, pickled radish, and shaved asparagus
- A tartine might seem simple, but this was extremely well-built. The rye bread, baked by Statz’ wife, Michelle, provided a crispy, tender base, and the aioli offered a good dose of onion. The savory nature of the beef tongue was balanced by acid from the vegetables.
COURSE 2
All In Thyme: Steak & Asparagus Sandwich on house potato bun w/ chili crisp, spring garlic, & onion chimichurri
- The beef was a tad tough, but two elements helped chef Novak take this round and ultimately the competition: the housemade potato brioche bun, which was hearty yet soft and tender, and the chili crisp, which added an oily heat with a nice crunch.
Semo: Koji-Cured Teres Major w/wood-roasted asparagus & spring onion sauce soubise
- The steak was cooked well and had a nice caramelization around the exterior, with the koji marinade providing undernotes of sweetness and nuttiness. The soubise was creamy and vibrant, though it overwhelmed the beef a bit.
DESSERT
Remember this name: Bri White.
The owner of Breeze Bakery has been a breakout star since she started creating desserts for Battle of the Chefs in 2024. She’s proven to be able to create incredible cheesecakes, pies, cakes, and other desserts with various vegetables, so giving her carrots almost seemed like a layup.
She cooked the carrots down in butter and brown sugar to create a creamy, sweet base that sat atop a crunchy, cinnamon-forward Biscoff cookie crust. The orange whipped cream was light as a cloud and offered a nice citrus-y tang.
Chalk up another win for Breeze. This bakery is special.