Chef Jon-Luc Maggi of Tiki Tom's wins Battle of the Blades in Napa

Maggi named Sysco Northern California Culinary Artisan of the Year

Mar. 17, 2026 at 2:28am

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Chef Jon-Luc Maggi, executive chef at Tiki Tom's in Walnut Creek, California, has been named Culinary Artisan of the Year after winning Northern California's Battle of the Blades, a high-stakes cooking competition hosted by Sysco Corporation. Maggi prevailed in the final round over two other chefs, preparing a dish of tarragon marinated lamb chops, a shaved arugula salad, and a parmesan beet puree.

Why it matters

The Battle of the Blades competition is part of Sysco's larger annual food expo, which showcases the unique offerings and supplier partners in Northern California. Winning this prestigious award highlights Maggi's culinary talents and Tiki Tom's reputation as a top dining destination in the region.

The details

In the final round, Maggi competed against Chef Robert Root of The Century and Chef Dean Hiatt of Poor Red's Bar-B-Q. The chefs were given 45 minutes to prepare a dish using items from the Sysco Pantry and three locally produced mystery ingredients - San Joaquin Gold Cheddar, Sysco-branded fresh tarragon, and Sysco-branded almonds. Maggi's winning dish impressed the five-judge panel with its visual appeal, creativity, execution, ingredient use, and taste.

  • The Battle of the Blades competition was held on Monday, March 16, 2026.

The players

Jon-Luc Maggi

The executive chef at Tiki Tom's in Walnut Creek, California, who won the Battle of the Blades cooking competition.

Robert Root

The executive chef of The Century, who was a semi-finalist in the Battle of the Blades competition.

Dean Hiatt

The executive chef at Poor Red's Bar-B-Q, who was a semi-finalist in the Battle of the Blades competition.

Sysco Corporation

The global leader in food distribution that hosted the Battle of the Blades competition.

Erasmo Garcia

Maggi's sous chef, who he credited as an amazing partner and friend.

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What they’re saying

“It's an honor. It's amazing to be named the first champion but again I couldn't do it alone.”

— Jon-Luc Maggi, Executive Chef, Tiki Tom's

“Food is what we do at Sysco and so having the opportunity to both mingle with some of the best chefs in Northern California and allow to showcase their talents in a fun contest while also highlighting the amazing assortment of products we offer is truly the highlight of the year.”

— Steve Buer, Northern California Region President, Sysco

What’s next

The contest is part of a larger annual Sysco Northern California food expo that allows the region to showcase its offerings, the uniqueness and breadth of supplier partners and connect customers to the assortment and the people committed to their success.

The takeaway

Winning the Battle of the Blades competition highlights Chef Jon-Luc Maggi's culinary talents and Tiki Tom's reputation as a top dining destination in Northern California, showcasing the region's diverse food scene and Sysco's role in supporting local chefs and suppliers.