Music Professor Daniel Carberg Competes at World Food Championship

Daniel Carberg, a music professor at Keene State College, has a passion beyond the classroom and stage — cooking. Recently, Carberg competed in the World Food Championships (WFC), finishing fourth overall in the burger category. He described the experience as "the culinary Olympics." The WFC is considered the largest live food competition in the world, featuring multiple categories and attracting chefs and home cooks from across the globe. This multi-day, tournament-style event includes 10 categories and a final round to crown the ultimate champion. The 2025 championships, held at the Indiana Farm Bureau Fall Creek Pavilion in Indianapolis, drew 20 international teams and awarded a total of $450,000 in prizes. This wasn't Carberg's first time at the competition. "Back in 2021, I placed in a national recipe contest, and I had no idea I qualified for this event. I decided to go, and this is my fifth year going now," he explained. "I've been practicing all summer." This year, Carberg earned his WFC spot after winning first place in the Minnesota Wild Rice Recipe Contest. Cooking has long been a creative outlet for Carberg. "I even wrote a cookbook when I was a kid," he recalled. "I used to stay home sick from school and cook all day." Hosting friends for meals has always been one of his joys, but it was during COVID-19 that his love of cooking competitions really took off. "Hannaford co-sponsored a recipe contest for leftover turkey. I entered it and I won, and I got really addicted and started looking for other recipe contests, and immediately started placing in the top first, second and third." Since then, Carberg has expanded his competitive resume, taking part in the Maine Lobster Festival and other competitions like chili cook-offs. At this year's World Food Championships, Carberg competed in the World Burger Championship. "Out of the top 20 teams, the top five advance to the finals. There is a master judge who goes around and watches you cook, you explain the dish to him and based on his impression he sends two other chefs forward. I was his first pick," said Carberg. He advanced with his Down East Lobster Burger, featuring a homemade hushpuppy bun he had been perfecting for months. "Two days later I cooked again in the finals and made my Middle Eastern Monday Burger. They open the turn-in window for just five minutes and there are seven master judges that will taste your food and critique you in front of the audience." Carberg ultimately finished fourth overall for his Middle Eastern burger. "It is considered world ranking. I missed third place by three quarters of a point," he said. His placement not only came with a cash prize but also earned him an automatic qualification for next year's competition. Back on campus, Carberg's students share in his enthusiasm. He said that his Keene State College students get really excited about his cooking contests and frequently request that he bring in what he is making. "This is the first year they didn't have a live stream at the event; the students have in the past organized live stream parties." When asked what advice he'd give others, Carberg offered some thoughtful words: "Even if you do one thing with your life, you can have more than one focus. There are so many opportunities out there. It's alright to have passion and more than one interest in your life."