News : Benton County grillers advance to State Fair Cook-Off

Bob Baumann accepts the prize on behalf of Triple Threat teammates Chad Meyer and John Sellman.

Brandon Yoder was named winner in the pork category.

The Triple Threat team works their grills.

Judges and constestants of the 2013 Benton County Farm Bureau Cook-Off.

Helane Cummings stirs the peppers she used for her mango chicken recipe.

Helane Cummings won the poultry category.

Gene Peterson receives his prize for winning the combo/specialty category.

Judges were Shannon Feurbach (accompanied by his son, Preston), Matt Marovec and Gary Schoening.

The Triple Threat plate and table.

Phil Cummings won the beef category with his chocolate flat iron steak recipe.

For the past few years, Helane Cummings has accompanied her husband, Phil, to Des Moines for the Iowa State Fair Cook-Off contest. This year, she will join him in the competition in Des Moines on Aug. 13.

Phil and Helane were among 11 Benton County outdoor chefs brought their grills and their special recipes to the Benton County Fairgrounds Saturday afternoon for the annual Benton County Farm Bureau Cook-Off.

Judges this year were Shannon Feurbach (accompanied by his son, Preston), Matt Marovec and Gary Schoening.

Winners included:

Phil Cummings, beef; Helane Cummings, poultry; Brandon Yoder, pork; and Gene Petersen, combo/specialty. The team award went to Triple Threat (Scott Bahmann, Chad Meyer and John Sellman). Lydia Close won in the Youth category.

All winners are now eligible to compete in the Iowa State Fair Cook-Off.

Benton County cooks have done well in recent years; in 2011 Bret Richards won crowned Cook-Off King.

See stories from the State Fair Cook-Off events below

2011

2012