Alumna Jessica (Hernandez) Gourieux (99) second from right.

In April 2018, Simply Gourmand, headed by Our Lady of the Lakes Class of 1999 Jessica Gourieux (née Hernandez), qualified to compete at the World Food Championships! Jessica won a golden ticket for Best Dessert at Bacon Bash in Royal Oak! The winning dish was a trio of cheesecakes that included Maple Bourbon Bacon Pecan, Chocolate Bourbon Bacon, and Irish Car Bomb.

“The World Food Championships is the largest competition in Food Sport. Since its debut in 2012, WFC has given birth to 30 TV food stars, awarded more than $1.5 million in prize money, garnered more than 5.7 billion media impressions, and connected 150+ food brands with food fans, food bloggers, and food media. ” (What is WFC?, 2018)

Jessica heads the team with volunteers that includes Janel Dombrowski, Elizabeth Weisenberger, and Taylor O’Connor. This year the World Food Championship is in Orange Beach, Alabama on November 7-11, 2018. They will be competing in the Dessert Category against 38 other chefs and home cooks from across the world.

We wish Jessica and her Simply Gourmand team the best of luck at WFC!