Meet the 5 chefs who won the State Fair of Texas’ Big Tex Award
The State Fair of Texas’ Big Tex Choice Award winners were just announced. Find out more about what they do outside of the fair and what previous winners are up to now.
Everyone going to the State Fair of Texas in the fall has one question: What food should I order? The fair is known for its amazing, fried foods—Fletcher’s Original Corny Dogs were invented at the State Fair in 1942, after all!—and each year, the food selections get better than ever. This isn’t a time for classics like funnel cakes and cotton candy; it’s your chance to branch out with the wildest, most unhinged dishes ever. (Fried Charcuterie Board, anyone?)
Of course, the best of the best foods to try at the fair include anything that was nominated or won the Big Text Choice Awards. This year marks the 20th anniversary of these awards, where vendors compete for the “Best Of” title in various categories. These awards can have a big impact on the winners and the restaurants they run. See some examples below.
How past winners benefited from competing in the State Fair of Texas
In the oversaturated food market of Dallas-Fort Worth, it can be hard to get your business to stand out. That’s why the Big Texas Awards are so helpful for local business owners. Just look at some of these past winners.
Abel Gonzales won Best Taste in 2005 for Fried Peanut Butter, Jelly, and Banana Sandwich. He previously told The Dallas Morning News that this contest “changed my life, completely.”
Gonzales was a winner or finalist for nine consecutive years, earning the nickname Fried Jesus and gaining notoriety across talk shows and morning programs. He runs the restaurant AG Texican.
Last year, Heather Perkins won Most Creative for Texas Sugar Rush Pickles, and she was a Sweet Finalist in 2025 for her Candy Lemon Sour Face. She has owned the Delicious Candy Pickle Factory since 2014, where she sells over 250 flavors of candy pickles.
Sometimes, winners try for years before they get the title, like Greg Parrish, who won both Best Taste: Savory and Most Creative in 2021 for his Deep Fried Seafood Gumbo Balls. These were made by tweaking a family generation for gumbo and adding Gulf shrimp, stewed chicken, blue crab meat, and andouille sausage, then rolling them in breadcrumbs and frying them.
“We work on ideas year-round,” chef Greg Parish, owner of Gourmet Royale, told Texas Highways. His family has been serving food at the fair since 1985. “When I get an idea, I usually write it down and go back to revisit it when it’s time to pick an entry,” he added. “We have a small panel of family and friends who taste test with us.”
The 2025 winners revealed
Competing at the State Fair is all about family, tradition, and really good food. That’s why it’s such a joy to taste the winners every year—you can truly tell they were made with good old-fashioned Texas dedication and joy.
This year, the Fair revealed 15 finalists in the Big Tex Choice Awards instead of the regular 10 across four categories. They announced four winners on Aug. 21, who are all the proud owners of restaurants where you can enjoy their food all year long.
1. Best Taste: Savory—Stefan T. Nedwetzky
With his Crab & Mozzarella Arancini, Stefan T. Nedwetzky nabbed the award for Best Taste at the fair this year. His handcrafted rice balls are made with Maryland Blue Crab meat, mozzarella cheese, red bell pepper, and more, then deep-fried, of course.
When he isn’t busy creating award-winning recipes, Nedwetzky runs his BBQ joint, Nedwetzy Barbecue, where he serves barbecue with influences from Austria, Germany, and the Czech Republic. This restaurant is in the Top 25 BBQ Joints in the state, according to Texas Monthly.
Nedwetzky, who also owns Texapolitan Pizza, told NBC that winning at the State Fair “definitely helps” business. “Gets more eyeballs on us. More word of mouth. More direction to our restaurant in Plano, Texas, and the fair,” he said.
“This will definitely help,” Nedwetzky. “As a small business owner, we don’t have the financial means to do the big marketing stuff and this is going to be a huge marketing push for us.”
2. Best Taste: Sweet—Tony and Terry Bednar
The fabulous Chill & Thrill Delight won Tony and Terry Bednar the award for Best Taste. It’s served in a cup full of fruit, including diced mango, pineapple, watermelon, grapes, and more. Then, shaved mango sorbet is drizzled on top, giving a smooth, creamy, refreshing treat that offers a nice break from all the fried foods.
This isn’t the first time the Bednars have come to the State Fair. As Tony told CBS News in 2024, “It’s always been a dream to be here.”
The owners of Tony’s Taco Shop have been selling food at the fair since 2022, after completing the Big Tex Business Masterclass, sponsored by the State Fair. This class teaches small business owners about running a successful food and beverage business.
3. Most Creative—Kendall Williams
The name Wagyu Bacon Cheeseburger Deviled Egg Sliders just makes us want to sink our teeth into this delicious food! These juicy, one-of-a-kind burger sliders are sandwiched between panko-crusted deviled egg halves (that have been deep-fried, of course). The sliders are served with a homemade ketchup that makes for the perfect combination of tangy and sweet.
Williams is the owner of So Eggciting Deviled Eggs, so it’s no wonder she came up with this brilliant bun idea! She told NBC, “It is a financial boost. But also a moral boost. It’s an ego boost as a chef. So, it’s a lot that goes into it all at one time.”
4. Best Taste: Sipper—Brad Weiss
New this year was a Best Taste category for “Sipper,” which refers to drinkable concoctions. (Although, who else remembers the amazing Fried Coke in 2006?) Still, this is the first time drinks were strictly in their own category, and the winner is totally sweet.
Brad Weiss—owner of Weiss Enterprises, which caters festivals, concerts, and other events—won with his creamy Cookie Chaos Milkshake, made with five types of cookies: snickerdoodle, Golden Oreo, classic Oreo, edible cookie butter cookie dough, and topped with a Biscoff cookie.
It’s the only sugar you’ll need for a week, but it is so worth it.
Other foods to try in 2025
The remaining finalists in the 2025 Big Tex Choice Awards include:
- Brisket & Brew Stuffed Pretzels by Glen and Sherri Kusak
- Deep Fried Deli Tacos by Brent & Juan Reaves
- Vietnamese Crunch Dog by The Le Family
- Candy Lemon Sour Face by Chef Heather J. Perkins
- Dubai Chocolate Cheesecake by Stephen El Gidi
- Rousso’s Dubai Chocolate Funnel Cake Fries by Isaac & Joey Rousso
- Tex’s Toast á la Mode by Michelle & Jayse Edwards
- Coconut Quadruple by Binh Tran & My Vo
- Hot Honeycomb Lemonade Shake Up by Tom Grace
- Nevins Dirty Red Bull® Tex-Arita by Josey Nevins Mayes & Tami Jo Nevins Mayes
- Poppin’ Boba Rita by Justin Martinez
Want to show off your own culinary skills? The State Fair also offers day-of Cooking Contests, from pie contests to Tex-Mex contests, where participants will bring a prepared dish for judging at the fair. You’ll compete for a blue ribbon, which may not be quite as prestigious as winning a Big Tex award, but hey—you can’t put a price on bragging rights!
The State Fair of Texas runs from Sept. 26 to Oct. 19. Whether you go for an old favorite or try something new, you won’t be disappointed in the fantastic, award-winning options at the State Fair this year. Come with an empty stomach and a full wallet!
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