2019 HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO™ GOLD BUCKLE FOODIE AWARD WINNERS NAMED
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo food vendors battled for glory in the Gold Buckle Foodie Awards Thursday afternoon in the NRG Center Main Club.
Vendors selected their favorite dishes to present to a panel of local on-air personalities to be judged in eight categories. Some entries featured unique combinations such as fruity-cereal dusted shrimp on a stick and spicy cotton candy. More traditional submissions included turkey legs and stuffed baked potatoes.
The 2019 winners include:
- Best Food-on-a-Stick: “Bacon Wrapped Pecan Smoked Sausage” – Holmes Smokehouse (RP60)
- Best Value: “Chicken and Ribs Platter” – Salt Grass (L0063)
- Best New Flavor: “Smoorcookie” – Totally Baked Cookie Joint (Carnival)
- Best Dessert: “Cookie Dough Parfait” – Aunt Edmoes Cookies (CD205)
- Best Fried Food: “Minnechocolate Pie” – The Original Minneapple Pie (CD202)
- Best Specialty Food: “Chocolate Cobbler” – All of Us (E12107)
- Classic Fair Food: “Hot Crunchy Cheetos Cotton Candy” – The Candy Factory (Carnival)
- Most Creative Food: “Unicorn Float” – The Candy Factory (The Junction)
Celebrity judge and iHeart Media personality Michael Garfield said he has a big sweet tooth and really liked the dessert category. The 11-year-veteran judge explained that he appreciated the creativity in the competition.
“The Unicorn Float was like Candyland in a cup,” Garfield said. “The entries have become more creative each year.”
Rodeo visitors can win prizes such as T-shirts and koozies for trying all of the award-winning foods. For more information, stop by the Social Station located outside of Hall D in NRG Center.
