Chef Jon-Luc Maggi of Tiki Tom's wins Battle of the Blades in Napa, named Sysco Northern California Culinary Artisan of the Year

Maggi prevails in final round over chefs from The Century and Poor Red's Bar-B-Q

Mar. 17, 2026 at 2:14am

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Chef Jon-Luc Maggi, executive chef at Tiki Tom's in Walnut Creek, Calif., 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 a final round Monday over semi-finalists Chef Robert Root, executive chef of The Century, and Chef Dean Hiatt, executive chef at Poor Red's Bar-B-Q.

Why it matters

The Battle of the Blades competition is part of Sysco's larger annual food expo that allows the Northern California 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 details

A five-judge panel selected the winner following a timed, 45-minute, rapid-fire cooking contest, using five criteria to reach a decision: visual appeal, creativity, execution, ingredient use, and taste and flavor. Each finalist prepared a dish using an unlimited number of items from the Sysco Pantry and three locally produced mystery ingredients – San Joaquin Gold Cheddar from Fiscalini Farmstead, Sysco-branded Santa Cruz-grown fresh Tarragon and Gustine, Calif. Sysco-branded almonds. Chef Jon-Luc Maggi's winning dish was tarragon marinated lamb chops, a shaved arugula salad with a citrus tarragon dressing, resting on a parmesan beet puree and garnished with a toasted almond and beet tuile.

  • The final round took place on Monday, March 16, 2026.
  • The Battle of the Blades competition is an annual event.

The players

Jon-Luc Maggi

The executive chef at Tiki Tom's in Walnut Creek, Calif. and the winner of the 2026 Battle of the Blades competition.

Robert Root

The executive chef of The Century, and a semi-finalist in the 2026 Battle of the Blades competition.

Dean Hiatt

The executive chef at Poor Red's Bar-B-Q, and a semi-finalist in the 2026 Battle of the Blades competition.

Sysco Corporation

The global leader in food distribution, and the host of the Battle of the Blades competition.

Erasmo Garcia

The sous chef at Tiki Tom's, and Maggi's 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 Corporation

What’s next

The Battle of the Blades competition will return next year, with Sysco continuing to showcase the culinary talents of Northern California's chefs.

The takeaway

Sysco's annual Battle of the Blades competition provides a platform for Northern California's top chefs to showcase their skills and creativity, while also highlighting the diverse range of high-quality ingredients and products available through Sysco's distribution network.