Channel Your Inner Chef winner receives airfare for two, a VIP trip to the HMSHost-sponsored James Beard Awards in Chicago, and has their dish featured at an O’Hare airport restaurant

Global restaurateur HMSHost, in partnership with the Chicago Department of Aviation, is calling all chefs – aspiring, connoisseur, or otherwise – from across the country to bring the heat by entering Channel Your Inner Chef, a multi-phase cooking contest that spotlights local flavors and culinary talent, while celebrating HMSHost’s sponsorship of the 2017 James Beard Awards. You do not have to be a master chef to enter this competition. Finalists will participate in a live cooking showdown at Chicago O’Hare International Airport this March.

“Channel Your Inner Chef is an innovative cooking competition that engages culinary enthusiasts to spotlight their cooking talents in front of a live audience,” said HMSHost Vice President of Marketing Atousa Ghoreichi. “It’s an exciting way to not only showcase our support of culinary talent, but also HMSHost’s ongoing sponsorship of the James Beard Awards.”

Entry to the competition is easy. Submit a two-minute video of yourself showcasing your outgoing personality as you prepare your favorite original recipe. Upload the video with the submission form by February 20, 2017 at ChannelYourInnerChef.com. Five finalists will be selected to win a trip to Chicago to compete in a live cook-off in front of an audience and a panel of judges at Chicago O’Hare International Airport on March 21, 2017.

The timed cook-off presents finalists with the fun challenge of creating an original recipe with a bounty of ingredients available to them at the start of the event. The winning dish will be featured on the menu of an HMSHost-operated restaurant at O’Hare for all travelers to try. The 2016 winner’s Paella Bowl became an instant traveler favorite on the menu and based on popularity was extended through the summer travel season.

The grand prize winner will also receive two roundtrip airline tickets for a flight within the continental U.S. and a VIP trip for two to attend the James Beard Awards Gala on May 1, 2017 at Lyric Opera of Chicago. Entries are accepted through February 20, 2017. Full details about Channel Your Inner Chef, including rules and regulations can be found at ChannelYourInnerChef.com.