Though it was Suzanne Clark’s first visit to the Garlic Capital, she walked away with $5,000 and the coveted garlic crown following the 2014 Great Garlic Cook-off.
The Phoenix woman’s winning dish, described as sarsaparilla-glazed Wild West burgers and southwest sweet potatoes, impressed a panel of judges and edged out her competition, including pork tenderloin sliders and pork plantain tacos—the second and third-place dishes.
“I’m very excited. It’s such a great honor to be a part of such a massive community effort like this festival but to win first place is even better,” Clark said moments after receiving the honor. “I’m very happy, very privileged and can’t wait to tell my family and friends that I won.”
Immediately after Garlic Queen Brittney Souza bestowed Clark with the garlic crown, she was hurried from camera to camera to be interviewed on live television. Luckily, Clark said she had a friend in the audience who let her family and other friends know she came home a winner.
Clark said her strategy stemmed from her dedication to plenty of planning and practice with the dish she created.
“I am an extreme planner,” she said. “I plan everything out ahead of time, and if I work it out on a piece of paper and write everything down, I feel much more relaxed. I also had an awesome chaperone who kept me on task through all of the little details.”
Many of the seven other finalists—including third-place winner Jennifer Beckman of Falls Church, Va.—said they found comfort amongst their fellow competitors and in the stinky, shared ingredient.
“I’m really impressed with all of the competitors and it kind of takes the pressure off. We could all win,” Beckman said, just before plating her dish for the judges to sample. “I like this competition because the sponsored product, the garlic, is very versatile and you can really let your imagination go crazy with the possibilities.”
“It’s all about having fun and everybody here is amazing,” said fourth-place finisher Stacey Clayton of Sechelt in British Columbia, Canada. “You don’t feel like you don’t belong when you come to the Garlic Festival.”
Before eight finalists can cook-off alongside each other for the grand prize, hundreds of recipes come in from around the world. The Garlic Festival’s Recipe Committee reviews the entries and narrows down the list after chefs actually make the dishes.
During the cook-off, the judges evaluated the appearance, creativity, texture and flavor of all eight dishes—including the use of garlic, of course.
“Presentation is always the first thing I notice,” said executive chef and cook-off judge Jason Lavinsky while he and the five other judges were testing entries. “I’m just looking for flavor profiles that go well together and definitely the presence of garlic.”
As Clark was forming the patties of her winning dish and prepping them for grilling, she seemed focused and undaunted by the outdoor kitchen’s scorching heat.
“We’re doing good right now,” she said. “This dish was created for the Garlic Festival and I’ve cooked it quite a few times. I’m just bringing it home.”
In the end, Clark brought home the grand prize and a year’s worth of bragging rights after winning one of North America’s most prestigious cooking competitions.
“We have so many things to do with $5,000,” Clark said. “I have a few bills to pay off and we’re kind of saving up to get a new car that’s very well needed. I think it’s going to go there.”
But Clark has no plans to rest on her laurels and said she’s scheduled to compete in the World Food Championships held in Las Vegas this November.
“I plan to win that one too,” she said with a laugh.
