The Springfield Rotary Club hosted its Seventh Gourmet Food Truck Competition on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. in Veterans Park. There was a large crowd all day, food trucks served amazing food and this year, the Rotary Club added an eleven by seventeen-foot Jumbotron to view the Ohio State game.
Wallace & Turner served as an event sponsor to support children and adults with disabilities getting needed social, emotional and/or financial assistance as well as insuring that an impoverished child in Africa gets a meal once a day and is able to drink safe, clean water. The proceeds from the event benefit the Rotary Club’s college scholarships, services to people with disabilities program, international project in Lesotho, Africa, high school and college youth rotary clubs, dream soccer tournament for disabled children, grants to teachers of multi-handicapped classes and other charitable projects in the community.
Winners included:
Hunger Paynes took the $10,000 Grand Prize!
Runner-up went to Greek Street Food Truck
Fetty's Street Food earned 3rd Place
The Wicked Lobstah proved to be People's Choice
Attracting over 10,000 guests each year, the competition continues to grow and thrive as Springfield’s must-taste event of the summer. While the competition is a great community event, it’s also a major fundraiser that supports the Rotary Club’s charitable programs. In the first five years of the competition alone, over $100,000 was raised for Springfield Rotary’s causes from the support of the community. This includes services to people with disabilities, which has increased the number of individuals served by more than 70 percent since the inaugural competition in 2014.
Local chef judges determined winning dishes based upon a combination of flavor/taste, presentation/visual appeal and creativity/originality. The all-Springfield-based panel included:
Micah Berner, owner of Cecil and Lime
Chef Lisa Freeman, head chef and co-owner of Le Torte Dolci Bakery
Chef Clayton Horrighs of Speakeasy Ramen
Doug McGregor, chef and owner of Seasons Kitchen
Chef Troy Wheat of All Seasons Catering in Springfield
Read the event recap here.