DENVER (KDVR) — A Colorado-based chef will be representing the state in the 2025 National Culinary Competition in New Orleans.

The competition hosted by the Association for Healthcare Food Services features some of the best chefs in healthcare and senior dining facilities across the United States.

A total of only five finalist teams were able to advance this far in the competition after passing through the qualifying rounds.

Colorado's representative Executive Chef Joseph Westley is joined by Utah contender Executive Chef Roberto Rodriguez, who will represent team Intermountain Health in New Orleans.

According to Intermountain Health, the duo qualified in a year that saw a record-breaking amount of submissions to make the finals.

To qualify, participants had to submit a dish featuring ingredients from two curated market baskets and turn them into a meal that costs less than $2 and has reduced sodium, fat and calorie levels.

The dish was then tasted and analyzed by judges in a blind review process. The judges made their decision based on criteria, including:

• Nutritional guidelines
• Cost guidelines
• Recipe quality
• Technical skill
• Culinary innovation

The teams would use a combination of colors, textures and artistic presentation to impress the panel of judges.

The Intermountain Health team submitted a dish featuring pan-fried Andouille crab cakes, pecan sweet potato mash, eggplant dirty rice with red bean sauce and remoulade sauce, topped with an okra relish.

The Intermountain Health team with a chef from Colorado submitted a dish featuring pan-fried Andouille crab cakes, pecan sweet potato mash, eggplant dirty rice with red bean sauce and remoulade sauce, topped with an okra relish, to be selected as a finalist for the 2025 National Culinary Competition.

“My inspiration for the dish was my previous trips to New Orleans, one of my favorite cities in the world,” said Rodriguez. “I wanted to put as much of the heart of New Orleans cuisine on one plate as possible. I tried to incorporate different components of the traditional dishes the area is known for, such as red beans and rice, dirty rice, and crab cakes.”

The chefs are staying in Utah to practice perfecting teamwork and preparing their dishes ahead of the competition.

“This dish will not only make you excited, but it will also make your taste buds excited,” said Westley. “The competition is done in pairs because two sets of hands are better than one in the kitchen. This allows chefs to divide up the workload so we can focus on quality and sanitation.”

The competition takes place in New Orleans from Aug. 21 to 23.