This week's Community Focus (part 2) featured an interview with Lawton Executive Chef Courtney Billen to discuss her experience with the international Favorite Chef Competition, 2026.
The Favorite Chef competition was designed for "one culinary creator will appear in Taste of Home Magazine, take home $25,000 and cook with celebrity chef Carla Hall on an episode of Chewed Up."
In this extended interview you can listen to above, Chef Courtney explained the competition and how she finished first in her group through multiple rounds. Favorite Chef 2026 started with more than 100k participants from across the U.S. and Canada, and Chef Courtney finished in 2nd place of the semi-finals!
All proceeds raised throughout the voting and competition went to support the James Beard Foundation that contributes to the culinary arts with education, sustainability and inclusive programs that help to elevate professions in the industry.
Courtney Billen and her family recently returned to Lawton, where they have extensive roots following her husband's retirement from the U.S. Marine Corps. She has decades of expertise with various non-profits and a professional culinary career that includes giving back through multiple avenues. Courtney is great at establishing a cornerstone in community efforts through her talents with combining elevated food experiences and storytelling.
Having the Billen family and their endeavors like Billen's Bar-B-Q, the Fusion Table Concepts and professional consultation and competition experience will be incredibly valuable to our community.
Chef Courtney can be followed on Facebook and Instagram at: Chef Courtney L. Billen
To contact her directly with opportunities for culinary work or consultations, reach out to: clbillenevents@gmail.com
I look forward to what the Billen family and Chef Courtney do next, here in Lawton. We all welcome you home, and thank you for being a part of our growing community.
