FOOD NEWS
Missouri Chef Elizabeth Brown Earns Medal for Excellence at WorldSkills Competition
Missouri native and Culinary Institute of America graduate Elizabeth Brown has been awarded a Medal for Excellence in cooking at the 48th WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai, standing out among 45 international finalists.
Elizabeth Brown, a 22-year-old chef from Columbia, Missouri, has achieved international recognition by earning a Medal for Excellence in the cooking category at the 48th WorldSkills Competition. Held in Shanghai from September 22 to 27, 2026, the event brought together 1,400 competitors from 73 countries to demonstrate mastery across 64 different skill sets. Brown was one of only 18 participants in the 45-person cooking field to receive this prestigious distinction, which is awarded to those who demonstrate exceptional technical precision and artistic ability.
A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Brown’s path to the global stage was built on a foundation of rigorous national competition. She previously served as the SkillsUSA Missouri high school state champion and secured a silver medal at the 2023 national SkillsUSA Championships. Reflecting on her preparation, Brown noted that her involvement with SkillsUSA helped her cultivate the time management, organization, and work ethic necessary to compete at a world-class level. Her training for the Shanghai event was supported by industry partners including Unilever, ZWILLING, and Smithfield Foods, and she was mentored by Chef Greg Beachey, a veteran of the food service industry with over a decade of experience overseeing national culinary competitions.
A Global Stage for Emerging Culinary Talent
The WorldSkills Competition serves as the largest international gathering for skilled trades and professions, with SkillsUSA acting as the official representative for the United States since 1973. For Brown, who grew up watching her mother cook and eventually pursued a career as a private chef and sustainable line cook, the experience represented a significant personal and professional milestone. She described the competition as a turning point in her career, emphasizing that the opportunity to stand alongside the best young culinarians from around the globe validated her commitment to the craft.Brown was part of a broader U.S. delegation that saw several other young professionals earn accolades in their respective fields. The U.S. team’s success in Shanghai was the result of extensive preparation, involving virtual training sessions and intensive in-person practice across the United States, Europe, and Asia. As the 48th edition of the biennial event concludes, these results highlight the ongoing efforts of organizations like SkillsUSA to develop and showcase the next generation of American talent on the international stage.
