Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Prime Minister of Yemen’s Houthi Government Killed in Israeli Strike

3 days ago

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Signs Law Redrawing Congressional Maps

3 days ago

US Air Force will Offer Military Funeral Honors to Slain Capitol Rioter

4 days ago

US Republican Senator Joni Ernst Will Not Run for Re-Election, CBS News Reports

4 days ago

Wall Street Falls as Dell, Nvidia Drive Tech Losses

4 days ago

US Denies Visas to Palestinian Officials Ahead of UN General Assembly

4 days ago

Minneapolis Children Revealed Courage, Absorbed Fear During Church Shooting

4 days ago

Ford Recalls Nearly 500,000 Vehicles Over Brake Fluid Leak

5 days ago

Fresno-Bound Passenger Says Delta Attendant Slapped Him, Seeks $20M

5 days ago
Merced's World Champion Sandwich Maker Adds to Her Legend
GV-Wire-1
By gvwire
Published 5 years ago on
August 27, 2020

Share

Two-time World Sandwich champion Kelli Fairchild-Cochran has added to her culinary laurels.

The Merced caterer finished fourth at “Final Table: Indy” this month, winning $2,000.

The Indianapolis competition hosted by World Food Championships was filmed for a one-hour television special airing Oct. 3 on Cooking Channel.

Photo of a pork dish made in a Cooking Channel competition
Kelli Fairchild-Cochran made this pork dish in the first round of “Final Table: Indy.” (WFC/Michael Durr)

She Won WFC’s Main Event Last Fall

Fairchild-Cochran qualified for the event by winning the sandwich category and $10,000 last fall in WFC’s Main Event in Dallas.

She won the World Sandwich Championship in 2014 and 2019.

At Indianapolis, she missed the title round by a quarter-point in the judges’ scoring. Fairchild-Cochran and her team made two dishes — one featuring pork, the other duck.

The three finalists were required to sign non-disclosure agreements so that the 2020 World Food Champion is revealed on the Cooking Channel.

The winner takes home $100,000.

More About Kelli

In her WFC profile, Fairchild-Cochran says that she grew up in Planada and “has a deep love and appreciation of scratch-made Mexican food and loves preparing homemade sauces of dried chiles, salsas, and tortillas.”

Her specialty is creating unique handmade appetizers for clients.

The Competition

In addition to Fairchild-Cochran, these were the other Indianapolis contestants:

  • Lidia Hadaddian, two-time category champion, Pasadena
  • Jodi Taffel, 2019 Bacon World Champion, Altadena
  • Matthew Statham, 2019 World Chef Champion, Fultondale, Alabama
  • Morgan Cheek, 2019 World Burger Champion, Muscle Shoals, Alabama
  • Ryan Hegland, 2019 World Steak Champion, Lakeville, Minnesota
  • Josh Cooper, 2019 World Seafood Champion, Tallahassee, Florida
  • Evette Rahman, two-time Dessert Champion, Orlando, Florida
  • Rocky Julianelle, 2019 World Open Chili Champion, East Haven, Connecticut
  • Ryan Murphy, 2019 World Barbecue Champion, Kansas City, Missouri

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Tulare County Authorities Investigate Porterville Shooting

DON'T MISS

Trump’s World Liberty Token Falls in First Day of Trading

DON'T MISS

Bessent Expects Supreme Court to Uphold Legality of Trump’s Tariffs but Eyes Plan B

DON'T MISS

Trump Says Rudy Giuliani Will Receive Top US Civilian Honor

DON'T MISS

Aid Flotilla for Gaza Departs Barcelona After Stormy Weather Turnaround

DON'T MISS

Fresno County Garnet Fire Grows to 18,748 Acres in Sierra National Forest

DON'T MISS

US Judge Blocks Deportations of Unaccompanied Migrant Children to Guatemala

DON'T MISS

Israel Pounds Gaza City Suburbs, Netanyahu to Convene Security Cabinet

DON'T MISS

Thousands in Australia March Against Immigration, Government Condemns Rally

DON'T MISS

Trump Says He Will Order Voter ID Requirement for Every Vote

UP NEXT

Fresno County Garnet Fire Grows to 18,748 Acres in Sierra National Forest

UP NEXT

Visalia Semi Crash Injures Amazon Truck Driver After Red Light Collision

UP NEXT

A Goodbye Love Note to My Dog: Remembering My Best Friend Harriet

UP NEXT

Fresno County Garnet Fire Expands to 17,561 Acres, 8% Contained

UP NEXT

Fresno Spotlight: Lawsuit in Killing of Homeless Man by Deputies Will Go to Trial

UP NEXT

Fresno County Needs Election Workers for November Redistricting Vote. Apply Now

UP NEXT

Fresno Supervisor Nathan Magsig Says Crews Gaining Ground on Garnet Fire

UP NEXT

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Curtis Wayne Recek

UP NEXT

Fresno Blaze Damages Yosemite Falls Café, Restaurant to Remain Temporarily Closed

UP NEXT

Fresno Shelter Helps Homeless Recover from Hospital Stays. It’s Also a ‘Good Neighbor’

Trump Says Rudy Giuliani Will Receive Top US Civilian Honor

7 hours ago

Aid Flotilla for Gaza Departs Barcelona After Stormy Weather Turnaround

7 hours ago

Fresno County Garnet Fire Grows to 18,748 Acres in Sierra National Forest

2 days ago

US Judge Blocks Deportations of Unaccompanied Migrant Children to Guatemala

2 days ago

Israel Pounds Gaza City Suburbs, Netanyahu to Convene Security Cabinet

2 days ago

Thousands in Australia March Against Immigration, Government Condemns Rally

2 days ago

Trump Says He Will Order Voter ID Requirement for Every Vote

2 days ago

Greta Thunberg Joins Flotilla Heading for Gaza With Aid

2 days ago

Chicago Mayor Says Police Will Not Aid Federal Troops or Agents

2 days ago

Post-War Gaza Plan Sees Relocation of Population, ‘Digital Token’ for Palestinian Land: Washington Post

2 days ago

Tulare County Authorities Investigate Porterville Shooting

Tulare County sheriff’s deputies are investigating a shooting that left a man injured in Porterville on Monday afternoon. Deputies were call...

5 hours ago

A man was hospitalized after being shot Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, afternoon in Porterville, and Tulare County sheriff’s detectives are investigating. (Tulare County SO)
5 hours ago

Tulare County Authorities Investigate Porterville Shooting

Zach Witkoff, Co-Founder and CEO of World Liberty Financial, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump pose before they ring the opening bell to celebrate the closing of ALT5’s $1.5 billion offering and adoption of its $WLFI Treasury Strategy at the Nasdaq Market, in New York City, U.S., August 13, 2025. (Reuters File)
5 hours ago

Trump’s World Liberty Token Falls in First Day of Trading

U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent pays his bill during a Labor Day visit to McLean Family Restaurant in McLean, Virginia, U.S., September 1, 2025. (Reuters/Brian Snyder)
6 hours ago

Bessent Expects Supreme Court to Uphold Legality of Trump’s Tariffs but Eyes Plan B

Former New York City Mayor and former lawyer for U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, Rudy Giuliani walks outside United States District Court in Manhattan, where a judge will consider a request by two Georgia election workers to whom he owes $148 million for defamation to hold him in civil contempt for failing to turn over his assets, in New York City, U.S., January 3, 2025. (Reuters File)
7 hours ago

Trump Says Rudy Giuliani Will Receive Top US Civilian Honor

Swedish activist Greta Thunberg departs with other activists on the Global Sumud Flotilla, a humanitarian expedition to Gaza, from the port of Barcelona, Spain August 31, 2025. The Sagrada Familia is seen in the background. (Reuters File)
7 hours ago

Aid Flotilla for Gaza Departs Barcelona After Stormy Weather Turnaround

Photo: USDA - Forest Service Tanker 40 at Fresno Air Attack Base. The Fresno County Garnet Fire in the Sierra National Forest has burned 18,748 acres and is 8% contained as crews make progress on containment lines while bracing for possible thunderstorms early this week. (Sam Wu/USFS)
2 days ago

Fresno County Garnet Fire Grows to 18,748 Acres in Sierra National Forest

U.S. flag and Judge gavel are seen in this illustration taken, August 6, 2024. (Reuters File)
2 days ago

US Judge Blocks Deportations of Unaccompanied Migrant Children to Guatemala

Smoke rises from Gaza after an explosion, as seen from the Israeli side of the border, August 31, 2025. (Reuters/Amir Cohen)
2 days ago

Israel Pounds Gaza City Suburbs, Netanyahu to Convene Security Cabinet

Search

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Send this to a friend