Cal Poly chef qualifies for NACUFS Pacific Regional Competition

Food Network ‘Chopped’ winner Chef Arthur Dulin will represent Cal Poly Campus Dining at the NACUFS Culinary Challenge-Pacific Region in Seattle next month.

A chef at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly Campus Dining) has qualified to compete in the 2026 National Association of College & University Food Service (NACUFS) Culinary Challenge- Pacific Region. 

Chef Arthur Dulin will represent the university at the competition held next month at the University of Washington in Seattle. Dunlin prepared two recipes to qualify for the regional competition, Thai Red Curry Catfish with Okra and Crispy Coconut Rice Cakes and a Catfish Pomelo Salad Garnished with Crispy Okra. 

During the competition, he will prepare original recipes using the required ingredients of whole catfish and fresh okra. He and the other competitors will be evaluated on organization, technique, cooking skills and the taste of the dishes. 

Dulin is no stranger to cooking competitions. He has competed on, and won, Food Network’s ‘Chopped.’ He credits his love of cooking and his comfortability with competing under pressure due working at a sports grill when he was 18. 

“It was there that I developed a strong foundation in scratch cooking within a fast-paced, high-volume environment,” he said in a statement. “After earning a promotion to assistant chef in the first year, the experience solidified my passion for the culinary profession and set the tone for a career rooted in growth, precision and consistency.”

Dulin earned a degree in culinary arts at the Art Institute of Portland and has a background in preparing Southern, South American and Southeast Asian cuisines. 

“I am honored to compete in the NACUFS Culinary Challenge and proud to represent the skill, innovation and professionalism of campus dining,” Dulin said in a statement.

The winner of the NACUFS Culinary Challenge- Pacific Region will go on to compete this summer at NACUFS’ national conference.