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Downtown Augusta across the Savannah River, photographed from the Fifth Street Bridge

Come hungry, Augusta.

Who fries it best?

A search for Augusta’s extraordinary home cooks. Into their kitchens. Around their tables. All the way to the crown.

Meet the movementBecome a sponsor
Augusta Riverwalk beside the Savannah River
The Riverwalk. Augusta, Georgia. Photo credits

Born in church kitchens

Augusta's been perfecting this for generations.

Somebody taught them. Somebody asks for seconds. Somebody has been saying for years, “You ought to do something with that chicken.” We’re going into Augusta’s homes to hear those stories, then bringing the cooks together for a competition the whole city can follow.

Inside the kitchen
Meet the people behind the recipes, in the places their stories began.
Community discovery
Churches, civic groups and neighbors help us find cooks worth knowing.
The competition
Local qualifiers lead to city heats and a live championship.
Life after the crown
The ambition: help a great home cook take the next step toward a food business.

Augusta is part of every story

The city comes
to the table.

Family traditions. Neighborhood pride. The welcome in a fellowship hall. The energy downtown. Each cook gives us another way to see Augusta—and another reason to come back.

The series visionExplore Augusta ↗

Visitor information from Destination Augusta. No sponsorship or affiliation implied.

The search starts with you

Know a cook we should meet?

Tell us about the person everyone calls when there’s a family gathering. You don’t have to be a contestant to help us find one.

Nominate a cook

Four rounds. One crown.

The road to the crown.

  1. 01

    Register

    Dates TBA

    Start with an expression of interest. Eligibility and entry terms will accompany registration.

  2. 02

    Qualifiers

    Dates TBA

    Community roadshows across the CSRA.

  3. 03

    Semi-Finals

    Dates TBA

    Head-to-head heats in a commercial kitchen.

  4. 04

    Grand Final

    Date TBA

    One champion is crowned on the big stage.

More than a trophy

A next
chapter.

A cook. A community. A chance to grow.

We’re developing a prize and business support package to help the champion take a meaningful next step. Final awards, funding, partner commitments and official rules will be published before entries open.

Proposed prize pool: $31,500

Proposed judging

  • Taste40%
  • Originality25%
  • Story20%
  • Presentation15%
Downtown Augusta skyline across the Savannah River

Think your chicken is the one?

Put it on the line.

We’re gathering interest from home cooks, community hosts, volunteers and the people cheering them on. Competition registration is not open yet.

Find your place
For sponsorsSponsor
the crownFor storytellersFollow the
story