MEN WHO COOK 2026
Saturday, November 7, 6-8 p.m., Findlay Country Club
Help us celebrate eight years of competitive cooking for a great cause! This annual, family-friendly event is one of our most popular fundraisers. Sample great food, vote with cash tips, and crown the top chef while also enjoying games, a silent auction, and football on the big screens. The cook with the most tips at the end of the evening wins the coveted champion's award and the envy of his opponents. We'll also hand out awards for Judge's Choice and Best Decorated Station. Emceeing again this year will be the always-entertaining "Coach" Cliff Hite.
All proceeds will benefit the Findlay Family YMCA’s Annual Campaign, "No Place Like This Place,” which supports programs like Open Doors, Feed-A-Child, youth programs, and more. THANK YOU to our event sponsors, State Bank and Hancock Federal Credit Union!
The 2026 event will feature a record 17 local and professional chefs, listed below, whom you can tip online prior to the cookoff.
Tickets are $25. Kids who are accompanied by an adult ticket holder will be admitted free to this feast, which will also include age-appropriate games and activities.
BUY TICKETS
Cooks Lineup
Represented in this year's Men Who Cook is a wide variety of regional cooks and characters who think they've got what it takes win. Do you know any of them? Give your favorite cook a head start on the competition by clicking on their link to tip them in advance.
JJ Preston, Director of Business Development at Midwest Financial Planning Group. Tip JJ
BJ Preston, Business Manager at TDJ Industrial services. Tip BJ
Eric Forsyth, Owner of Forsyth Wilson Agency, '25 Men Who Cook Winner. Tip Eric
Kyle Frisch, Commercial Leader at First National Bank. Tip Kyle
Lewis Johnson, Mergers and Acquisitions at Marathon Petroleum Corporation, returning Men Who Cook Winner. Tip Lewis
Dan Metzger, Sr. Pastor at St. Marks United Methodist Church. Tip Dan
Jake Metzger, Chef at Findlay Country Club. Tip Jake
Aaron Peterson, Business Development Director at Marathon Petroleum Corporation. Tip Aaron
Danny Baker, Strategy and Development Leader at Marathon Petroleum Corporation. Tip Danny
Scott Keller, Real Estate Specialist at Key Realty LTD. Tip Scott
Donny Johnson, Talent Acquisition Leader at Marathon Petroleum Corporation. Tip Donny
Ben Franz, (assisting a special guest cook), Environmental and Regulatory Counsel at Marathon Petroleum Corporation. Tip Ben and Special Guest Cook
Bryan Eidt, Chef at Story Point. Tip Bryan
Kane Enright, Chef at City Mission. Tip Kane
Erik Swanson, HR Business Administrator at Findlay Family YMCA. Tip Erik
Ben Sapp, Chief Development Officer at Blanchard Valley Health Foundation. Tip Ben
Paul Fultz, Market Executive, Sr. V.P. at State Bank. Tip Paul