Making its return to Minneapolis for the first time since the inaugural 2010 tour, the Minneapolis Bacon Takedown, sponsored by Hormel Black Label bacon and hosted by Matt Timms, received a warm welcome on May 11.

The event showcased a turnout of 21 local chefs of all levels, including two “cheftestants” who recently returned from filming for Fox TV’s MasterChef. As always, the cooks used Hormel Black Label bacon in unique recipes to compete for the championship trophy, a one-year supply of Black Label bacon and a variety of other prizes and cookware.

After delegation, the three judges — two Minneapolis bloggers and a Minneapolis restaurant sous chef — chose a bacon sushi recipe, created by Bryan Strickland and Alex Desnick, as the first place winner. Second place went to Ethan Grossman and Luke Hall for their Bourbon Bacon Bark. The judges awarded third place to Jason and Jill Gaux for their Pig on a Date recipe, a bacon, cheese and onion wrapped date dish.

The Minneapolis attendees praised and awarded the first place people’s choice award to Heather Manley for her Bacon Bourbon 3-way, a bourbon infused cupcake dish. Second place went to the duo of Chris and Ashley Newberry for their Porky’s Bacon Apple Crisp. Third place was awarded to Andrew Schmitt for his bacon wrapped date recipe, My Date Loves Bacon.

Hormel continued to showcase “Bacon Minute Films” on a screen over the stage throughout the event and handed out fully cooked bacon to voters. Attendees also posed with giant cut-out bacon strips, wore bacon mustaches and pose with bacon-themed speech bubbles.