Colorado Grown Food Competition to Debut at 2021 State Fair

“Governor’s Plate” Event to Feature Colorado Sourced Ingredients

To highlight Colorado’s diverse and unbeatable agricultural products and chefs, Governor Jared Polis has announced the inaugural “Governor’s Plate” competition to debut at the 2021 Colorado State Fair. The competitors will partner with Colorado Proud to select Colorado-grown ingredients, including the Pueblo chile, to incorporate in their dishes.

“Colorado is a strong leader in producing delicious, healthy locally raised and grown food,” said Governor Polis. “The Governors Plate puts a spotlight on our state’s incredible agricultural products. I’m thrilled to kick off this competition that will showcase our state’s talented chefs using Colorado’s homegrown ingredients.”

To match the Fair’s 2021 theme of “All Roads Lead to the Fair,” the event will feature five food trucks competing to win the inaugural “Governor’s Plate” award; the “People’s Choice” award for any single plate; and the truck with the highest number of combined votes for both dishes will win the “Best Truck” award.

“Helping Coloradans connect with food grown, raised, and produced in our state is at the heart of what the Colorado State Fair is all about,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Kate Greenberg. “Each year, we find new ways to foster that connection, and the Governor’s Plate competition will do just that by highlighting the chefs who use Colorado Proud ingredients to bring farm-fresh foods onto our tables.”

The Governor’s Plate competition is scheduled for 5 pm on Tuesday, August 31, 2021, in the PB&T Bank Pavilion at the Colorado State Fairgrounds. Competing food trucks were selected in advance and will feature What’s Cooking (Pueblo), Double D’s BBQ Shack (Pueblo), Papa Mario’s Grilled Cheese (Pueblo), Downtown Fingers (Denver), and Eskimo Bros. Nitro Ice Cream (Denver). Trucks must prepare two appetizer-sized items for 200 guests.

Governor Polis will enjoy a private tasting and select an overall winner to be awarded the Governor’s Plate. Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture Kate Greenberg will emcee the event, which will include speakers from the Colorado Proud program and the Pueblo Chile Growers Association.

Inspired by the Governor’s Cup, a Colorado winemaking competition exclusively for Colorado wineries also held in August, the Governor’s Plate will showcase the talents of chefs who will prepare two dishes to compete in the event.

Tickets are $10 for a food tasting of 10 food samples (two from each truck) and $20 for food tasting and two beer tickets (available to attendees 21 and older). Attendees will vote for their favorite dish and the winners will be announced at 7 pm J-Calvin, a musical group from Durango will be the featured entertainment slated to perform after the awards ceremony until 9 pm Tickets for the Governor’s Plate event are on sale now on the Colorado State Fair website.