Billings Chef to Compete at 2025 World Food Championship

Billings, Montana, will be in the spotlight this October, when local chef and restaurant owner Kenny Rakstad returns to the World Food Championship in Indianapolis, IN. Back for his 3rd consecutive year, Rakstad is confident he'll take home the gold this go around in the Burger category.

Downtown Indianapolis. Photo by Corbin Mathias on Unsplash

"Honestly, I expect to win."

We caught up with Kenny in late September and chatted about the highly competitive nature of the World Food Championship, the current caliber of the restaurant scene in Billings (and Montana), and any advice he would offer to anyone thinking about becoming a chef or running a restaurant. Audio at the bottom of this story.

Rackstad's burger entry this year sounds amazingly delicious.

The chef does something fun at his Copper Onion Bistro restaurant, where staff are encouraged to come up with culinary creations. For the 2025 World Food Championship, Kenny will be entering a burger that was created by one of his staff and fine-tuned by him.

The "We Ain't Lying, Man" burger is a play on words, with the hamburger featuring Lion's Mane mushrooms, Black Truffle Parmesan cheese, a peppercorn brandy cream sauce, and sliced ribeye.

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This double-patty smashburger recently made a weeklong appearance on Copper Onion Bistro's special menu, giving fans a chance to experience what will hopefully become an award-winning burger next month in Indy.

Credit Copper Onion Bistro, used with permission

From humble beginnings to the biggest stage in food competition.

Rackstad is a Billings native who never graduated high school (he did get his GED) and started in the kitchen decades ago as a 15-year-old line cook at the West End Perkins. I asked him for advice to anyone who is considering becoming a professional chef, and he said without hesitation, "Spend at least a year in a restaurant kitchen."

Before you drop a bunch of money and time on culinary school (to the tune of $70,000), he said that spending real, hands-on time in the fast-moving environment of a busy restaurant is the best way to see if it's something you truly want to pursue.

Credit Copper Onion Bistro, used with permission

The World Food Championship is October 15 - 19.

Kenny said they have some new rules for the competition this year, including a reduced time limit to submit their burger entries, along with an added twist of a "secret ingredient" thrown at the chefs at the last minute.

Executive chefs from the American Culinary Federation judge the competition. Fans can follow Rackstad's progress on the World Food Championship YouTube channel. Portions of the competition may be televised, too.

Two chefs from Montana will be at the 2025 WFC.

Another Billings chef will be at the Championship this year, La Taqueria food truck owner Mike Hernandez, who will be competing in the Sandwich category. Kenny said he's offered some tips and advice to Hernandez. We wish the best of luck to both of these Billings food stand-outs as they aim to take home the gold.

Below is the audio from my interview. It was recorded on 9/22/25, just a few weeks before Rakstad publicly announced the closure of The Local restaurant, giving him more time to enjoy life.