Arkansas Parks, Heritage and Tourism Director Stacey Hurst announced that 1,828 nominations from all 75 Arkansas counties have been submitted to the 2023 Arkansas Food Hall of Fame, an Arkansas heritage program.
Now in its seventh year, the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame was created by Arkansas Heritage, a division of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, to honor the state’s unique food culture, restaurants, chefs and food entrepreneurs, as well as culturally significant festivals and events.
Click here for information on the categories and criteria for the nomination process.
“As Arkansans, we cherish food because it unites us, shapes us and creates traditions we hold dear,” Hearst said. “Through the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame, we are honored to help tell the stories of the people, places and events that make our food culture unique. Thank you to everyone who submitted nominations and participated in honoring our state’s culinary heritage.”
Representatives from all Arkansas counties participate in the nomination process for the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame. Many rural counties saw increases in nominations, with Cleburne County receiving 90 nominations, Crittenden County receiving 62 nominations and Johnson County receiving 98 nominations.
Recipients will be selected by the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame Committee, a group of Arkansans who include historians, chefs, foodies and food authors. Committee members include Paul S. Austin, Chip Culpepper, Quantia “Key” Fletcher, Cindy Grisham, Montine McNulty, Rex Nelson, Tim Nutt, Kat Robinson, Stephanie Wade, David Ware, and Stanley Young, in addition to Hurst and Bryant. The finalists will be announced in January and the winners will be inaugurated in a special ceremony on March 6.
