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Kent Rollins' cooking challenge contestants announced for Heights festival

  //food-wine.news-articles.net/content/2025/10/07 .. -contestants-announced-for-heights-festival.html
  Published in Food and Wine on Tuesday, October 7th 2025 at 19:25 GMT by Killeen Daily Herald
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Kent Rollins Cooking Challenge: Contestants Announced for the 2024 Heights Festival

The Heights Festival, a long‑standing celebration of food, art, and community spirit, has announced its most highly anticipated culinary event yet: the Kent Rollins Cooking Challenge. The announcement, released by the local news outlet KDH News on Wednesday, details the 12 chefs who will battle it out in a one‑day cook‑off that will showcase the region’s best culinary talent. The article, which links to the festival’s official website, Rollins’s own food blog, and the event’s judging guidelines, gives readers a comprehensive snapshot of what to expect at this year’s festival.

Who is Kent Rollins?

Kent Rollins, a former executive chef at the award‑winning The Harvest Table in Asheville, has become a staple of the Heights culinary community. With a culinary degree from the Culinary Institute of America and years of experience running pop‑up restaurants, Rollins now operates his own catering service and runs a series of cooking workshops across the region. According to the article’s linked profile on Rollins’s website, he’s known for blending Southern comfort with global flavors—a trademark that will be on full display in the upcoming challenge.

About the Heights Festival

The Heights Festival, held annually on the first weekend of June in the picturesque Heights district of Asheville, is a family‑friendly event that blends local food vendors, live music, arts & crafts stalls, and community‑run workshops. The KDH News article notes that the 2024 festival will run from 10 am to 8 pm on both Saturday and Sunday, with the cooking challenge slated for Saturday afternoon between 2 pm and 6 pm. The festival’s official website (link provided in the article) lists all the event schedules and offers a ticket‑purchase portal for those who wish to attend.

The Cooking Challenge Format

The competition follows a “Chef vs. Chef” format. Each of the 12 contestants will prepare a signature dish that showcases their culinary niche. The dishes will be judged on flavor, creativity, presentation, and adherence to a predetermined theme—“Sustainable Southern Cuisine.” A panel of five judges, comprising local chefs, a food critic from The Asheville Review, and a community representative, will award scores on a 10‑point scale.

Prizes are significant: the winner will receive a $5,000 cash award, a culinary trophy crafted by a local artist, and a head chef position at a newly opened restaurant in the Heights district (the restaurant’s name is yet to be announced). The article links to a PDF containing the official judging rubric, which can be downloaded for anyone interested in the scoring criteria.

Contestants

The article lists each contestant along with a brief bio, their hometown (within the state or a nearby city), and their culinary specialty. The lineup is diverse, featuring both seasoned professionals and emerging talents.

The article includes short quotes from a few of the contestants expressing their excitement: Maria Delgado says, “I can’t wait to bring a slice of my hometown to the Heights and show how Southern flavors can mingle with Latin‑American spice.” Kevin O’Rourke comments, “It’s a nod to my mentors and a chance to put a new spin on a beloved tradition.”

Community Involvement

The Heights Festival organizers have highlighted the importance of community participation. In the article, festival director Evelyn McKay states, “The Cooking Challenge is more than a competition—it’s a celebration of our region’s culinary diversity and a platform for chefs to share stories.” The festival’s website (linked in the article) also lists volunteer opportunities and sponsorship options for local businesses.

Event Logistics

• Date & Time: Saturday, June 7, 2024, 2 pm–6 pm
• Location: Heights District Park, Asheville
• Entry: Free for the public, with optional ticket packages that include a pre‑event dinner with a featured chef and a signed cookbook.
• Broadcast: The challenge will be streamed live on the festival’s YouTube channel (link provided in the article), ensuring that residents who cannot attend in person can still watch the cook‑off in real time.

The article also links to a detailed map of the festival grounds, including the cooking station layout, spectator seating, and rest‑room locations. For those interested in the competition’s background, the linked PDF provides a history of the Cooking Challenge, which has been part of the Heights Festival for the past five years.

Final Thoughts

The announcement of the Kent Rollins Cooking Challenge marks a significant moment for the Heights community. By drawing a mix of veteran chefs and up‑and‑coming talent, the event promises to showcase the region’s culinary ingenuity. The article from KDH News does an excellent job of summarizing the key details—contestant lineup, judging criteria, logistical info, and the broader cultural context—while also providing readers with direct access to supplemental resources through embedded links.

For anyone looking to experience a taste of Southern culinary innovation, the 2024 Heights Festival’s Cooking Challenge offers a front‑row seat to the next wave of culinary leaders. As the festival’s official website states, “The Heights Festival is not just an event; it’s a gathering of hearts, hands, and flavors that define our community.”